Unexpected offers
by Mohawk82
Summary: He never considered her before. She had decided to move on. What is it that she's looking for?
1. Chapter 1

A.n.: Own nothing, don't make any profit

He noticed the young woman enter the shabby dive bar from his booth in the corner. There was something familiar about her that he couldn't place, but it wasn't exactly painful to watch her saunter over to the bar, too much cocky confidence for her own good in a place like this. His eyes roamed her body, from her obnoxiously unnecessary black beanie, down her black polo necked shirt that showed a slim waist. Perfect for wrapping my hands around he thought as he continued down her firm ass, packed in black jeans so tight he wondered if they were painted on her. 20 eyed fucking Dr Martens completed her fuck you-outfit and he wouldn't mind heeding that call. The girl was in way over her depth and a predatory smile stretched Sabretooths lips as he thought of the ways he could teach her just how nasty the monsters goin' bump in the night could be to little girls.

He was mulling over his options of all the fun he could have when her scent hit him like a sledgehammer, his cold and calculating calm instantly replaced with blinding rage. He knew this particular bitch and _what the actual fuck_ was she doing here? With the speed and soundless agility of a true predator he had her by her throat, pinned to the wall so fast Rogues head was spinning.

"What the fuck are you doing here, leech!" He snarled inches from her face, sharp fangs bared in a threat most people would cower for.

"Knock it off, Creed!" Rogue choked out under his iron hold on her throat. "If I were here to fight you, I wouldn't cover my entire fucking skin." She waved a gloved hand in front of his face.

Her use of his human name threw him for a loop and he let her go with a grunt. Even if she hadn't been dressed from head to toe, he could take her out in 0.4 seconds and now he was more curious than angry. He dropped her unceremoniously and she fell to her knees coughing and heaving, glaring daggers at him before she simply got up, turned her back to him and strutted to the bar. Sabretooth followed her, leaning a huge arm on the bar, his eyes trained on her as she ordered a beer and a shot of cheap bourbon, seemingly ignoring the tower of a man looming over her. Her scent gave away that she was nervous and the tanginess of it made Sabretooth inhale deeply, relishing in the discomfort she was working so hard to cover with a nonchalant facade. Rogue knocked back the shot, and the slight shiver at the harshness of the drink was a telltale sign that she wasn't used to hard liquor. A faint feeling he couldn't place at first made a corner of his mouth quirk upwards and he was surprised when he identified it as amusement.

Rogue glanced at him from the corner of her eyes and he straightened, folding his massive arms across his broad chest, staring unblinking straight at her.

"You still haven't said what you're doing here." He growled.

"And why should I? Can't a girl go out and have a beer without explaining herself?" She sassed, looking at him from under long lashes.

"Booth in the corner." He said, pointing a clawed finger to the darkest spot in the dimly lit room. She opened her mouth to protest. "It wasn't a question." He growled, cutting her off. He signaled the bartender and picked up a bottle of Bourbon, better quality than the crap she'd ordered, and two glasses and followed the tiny slip of an X-geek.

Her scent was even tangier now, not quite the bitterness of fear, but considerably tastier and a sly smile stretched his lips. This stupid venture of hers into dangerland had peaked his curiosity but he wasn't the stupid animal he had most people think he was. Sabretooth was well aware that she might have backup snooping around the corners. He slid into his seat across from her and the slight quiver of her hand when she took her glass of beer and downed a few big gulps didn't elude him. His smile widened taking on a predatory quality, displaying way too much sharp teeth for comfort.

"So you regularly go to the worst bars in town? I find that hard to believe..."

"A young woman has to do stupid things once in a while, right?" She shrugged. "Besides, with my particular mutation I'm highly unlikely to be an easy victim."

"Well, I can think of quite a few ways to have my kind of fun with you where I would hardly need to touch your skin..." He leered at her.

Rogue felt her insides turn to ice and she swallowed hard. She saw his nostrils flare, and it reminded her that he could smell her fear when his sadistic smile widened even more. How the hell had she thought that this was a good idea? Sabretooth may have trimmed his beard, cut his hair and cleaned up, ditching the fur coats but that didn't remove the fact that he was a sadistic, raping and murdering psychopath. A mercenary and contract killer. Oh yes, she'd had the lectures practically shoved down her throat and she had read his file over and over until it started to get worn out. He was her only shot at this, she reminded herself, and her stubborn determination set in. She was not going to end up tucking tail just because he was testing her with really just minor intimidation so far. Rogue took a deep breath and looked him over. He had indeed cleaned up nice. The furs had given way for a dark green t-shirt, tight enough to show all the ridges and grooves in his impossibly muscular frame. His eyes were a captivating light gray color, not animalistic but not quite human either. He was actually very good looking in a rugged kind of way, his well trimmed beard adding to that masculinity that even in this relaxed state tiptoed the line of a full blooded predator.

"Well, I guess you wouldn't believe me if I said I was here for the company." She smirked cockily, quirking a brow.

Sabretooth snorted and raised a brow. "Sorry kid, ain't buying that." There was something intriguing about this situation. Normally he wouldn't have the patience for games like this, but the woman in front of him continued to surprise and amuse him and he really wanted to se where she was going with this.

He took a swig of his whiskey as she finished her beer and he poured her a steady glass without asking if she wanted some while he mulled over how to tackle this.

"I just can't see any reason for a clean cut, innocent little do-gooder like you to wander away from your do-gooder little friends in you perfect little school and end up here, in this place." He held her gaze, challenging her.

Rogue sipped her whiskey, not averting her gaze. "Exactly! That's the point. I'm fed up with being goody two-shoes, I've been there and done that all my life. Right now I just want to be _bad_ and this is the last place they'll come looking for me." She raised her glass to him before taking a bigger gulp followed by that shiver. She set the glass back down and snorted a quick laugh.

"Perfect little school my ass." She muttered mostly to herself. "You know, they might make it seem like the perfect little world, where everyone gets a second chance, the kids are perfectly behaved and get educated far above everyone else but the truth is that's a mansion filled with _teenagers_. Teenagers with _superpowers_. Teenagers with _hormones_. It's really like a fucking frat house."

"But I'm supposed to stay a virgin, it seems..." She muttered to herself, but his keen sense of hearing picked it up anyway and he cocked his head in a way that Rogue found deliciously animalistic.

Something about her swearing rubbed Sabretooth the right way. Here he was, with one of Charles little golden children and she was well on her way to being ruined with very little effort from him. Now if he could just figure out her true motive to be there, cause he still wasn't convinced this wasn't a set up.

"Do you know how my mutation works?" She asked him out of the blue.

"You're the leech." He grunted. "Anybody who touches your skin gets drained of, I don't know, their life force or something like that. And you can't control it. But I heard you took the cure. How did _that_ work out for ya?" Sabretooth sneered, resenting that anybody would want to loose their pole position in evolution.

The girls eyes flashed wildly. "Don't you fucking _dare_ judge me! The risk of accidentally killing someone you actually like aside, each time I'd touch someone, even as slightly as accidentally bumping into someone in the fucking line at the grocery store, I'd get a copy of their mind in my head. Permanently." She stared at him in defiance, refusing to give in and look away even as his upper lip started curling into a snarl. "You try staying sane with ten people in your head constantly. Yourself included..." she motioned in his direction with her gloved hand. "...up until I got that shot." She took another swig of the Bourbon.

The brakes slammed on Sabretooths rising temper. "From when I touched you at liberty island?" He remembered the brief contact when he strapped her to the machine. It stung like a bitch but his accelerated healing stopped it from being more than a discomfort.

"It probably saved my life." Her eyes briefly flickered to his chest before settling back at his face. She took a deep swig from her whiskey. No shivering this time. "I were dead when they pulled me from the machine, I didn't absorb anything at first 'cause I were dead. Then my heart restarted and I could borrow force enough to recover."

"Hm." Sabretooth stared at the glass he was spinning in his hands, thinking of her words. "So you absorb others mutations as well?" He wondered why she told him this. Was she really that naive, thinking he wouldn't use this against her? She could be very valuable... This cemented his conviction that she must have back up somewhere. "Still doesn't explain why you're here. Don't you live in the perfect fucking place for someone like you? Everyone has to be so understanding of your little issues." He looked around the room as he talked, trying to find whoever was with her.

She snorted at that and swiftly leaned over the table, placing her gloveless hand on his as she spoke. "I can control it better now since I got my powers back. But that doesn't help when no one dares to believe it."

He hadn't seen her slipping her glove off and it took him a second to react and yank his hand away, long enough for him to feel a tingling buzz where their skin had touched. Not at all the harsh stinging, burning sensation he remembered from last time, more like a vibration or very weak electric current. He looked at her, curling his upper lip in a snarl but it caught when she matched his grimace, showing off fangs she didn't have before. She inhaled deeply, scenting the air, as he watched her teeth sink back to normal size. She actually leered a little as she seemed to take in his scent.

"Thing is, everyone thinks I'm still walking death if touched. I have better control now and won't drain someone as fast as before but I still absorb some... whatever. There are two people that I know of that would be completely safe touching me: the Wolverine..." He grimaced at the name but she held his gaze for long moments. "...and you."

Sabretooth stared at her, incredulous as he started to comprehend where she was going with this. "Let me get this straight. So what you're really here for... " He trailed off, still unbelieving.

Rogue took another swig of her Bourbon, holding his gaze. He almost thought she wouldn't answer at all, her pause was that long, before she spoke.  
"Darlin', I'm just here to fuck."


	2. Chapter 2

_Three days_. Three _fucking days_ before her phone signaled an incoming message from an unknown number. Rogue was walking from her class to the dining hall and her heart started beating faster, her hands quivering when she fumbled with the phone, opening the message. Her heartbeat earned her a look from Logan, his sensitive hearing picking up on the change in the rythm but his interest went unnoticed by her.

Sabretooth had been too cautious to take her up on her offer in the bar, and truth be told, she had left disappointed but slightly relieved. She was serious about wanting to sleep with him, but she was still young and inexperienced and she had no idea how she would have reacted if he had just said 'yes'. In hindsight, she realized that what she had seen as a well thought out plan had seriously lacked a decent end game. Just the thought of losing her virginity in a bathroom stall in a run down bar or in a back alley stinking of garbage, piss and vomit made her seriously question her sanity. Because Sabretooth really seemed more likely to throw her on the table and fuck her right there than to invite her to a penthouse apartment. Just the thought made her blush but the graphic image in her head of said scenario sent a heat to the pit of her stomach and it made her wonder if she was _that_ kind of girl. The only way for her to find out was trial and error, and since he hadn't brushed her idea off entirely, she had programmed her number into his phone before she left.

'Saturday, same time, same place. Come alone, puss. /S'

Of course he'd be short and crass, but she couldn't stop the Cheshire cat grin that stretched her lips. From across the room, Logan watched her when she fidgeted with her phone. Her heart rate and breathing picked up even more, she blushed and smiled like she'd just won the lottery. He frowned slightly when someone opened the door and the draft brought her scent to him: excitement, nervousness and arousal. He squashed the momentary jealousy out of habit. He was not going to be a pervy old man, chasing little girls. That clearly was a text from someone she liked. He told himself that he should be happy for her, only partially succeeding.

Rogue didn't see Logan watch her with a frown, she was busy debating with herself how to reply. She didn't know if Sabretooth was phone savvy enough to use a thumbs up emoticon. What she really wanted was a quick and witty retort but, really, how the hell do you answer someone you don't know more than by reputation, and a _kidnapping_ for fucks sake! Someone that just set a date and time to take your virginity? For a second she panicked, because this was not normal. Hell, all of her friends that had done the deed already had dated and got to first base, and second and other stuff before they did more. Rogue had just had that disastrous kiss years ago and then nothing until now, deciding to sleep with someone by text for crying out loud. And the man, because he was a man and not one of the inexperienced boys at school, she'd proposed this idea to wasn't exactly known as the most patient, tender man in history. Comparing him to Bobby made her mind trail off as she remembered how he'd looked in that bar and it left her wanting. Every sinewy muscle in his massive arms, the grooves and ridges of his muscles in that shirt that he really should burst out of was etched into her memory. _I wonder if that shirt was spandex,_ she mused, panic forgotten and arousal taking over.

'Got it, kitten. I ain't ready for a three way anyway. /R'

She sent the text before she could change her mind. Short and sassy, a little more confident than she felt, but he'd seemed to enjoy some of her cockiness last Saturday.

"Earth to Rogue! Quit holding up the line!" Jubilee elbowed her in the ribs and she quickly took her food and walked over to their usual table. It was really bubbling inside of her, trying to sneak out of her mouth but she bit her tongue hard enough to taste blood to not blurt a single word about it. The lunchbreak passed in a quick blur where Rogue had to fight hard to let the gossip around the table distract her.

It wasn't until that evening, homework done and her routine finished, the practicalities of the situation started bugging her. Sneaking out and getting to the bar wouldn't be a big problem even without letting her friends in on her plan. But then what? She couldn't count on Sabretooth to have a suitable location for their...activities. It was after all her idea. She opened her drawer, digging out her plastic bag with extra cash. She should be able to pay for a room somewhere. Hopefully he knew a place nearby. _And I need condoms_. She realized, mentally facepalming. How could she have forgotten about that?! Where did you even get those?

She picked up her laptop and threw herself on the bed, Googling it. A sigh of relief left her lips when she found what she was looking for at webshop who sold not just that kind of toys, ( _and holy crap, why hadn't she bought something like that years ago?!_ ) but everyday items too so the package would not raise any questions she wasn't ready to answer. Rogue was getting giddy and antsy with nerves and anticipation. This was actually happening!

She browsed the web, wondering if she should get some new clothes. Rogue was kind of shy about showing off some skin, having been raised by a mother with firm beliefs and then out of habit to keep everyone else safe. It wasn't like she was going on a date but she figured she might as well drop some of her modesty, considering Sabretooth would get to see it all. _Maybe she should go for 'quick to remove' rather than sexy._ She snorted nervously. _Or 'hard to tear', if she didn't want to risk going home semi naked_. Jubes would probably love to go shopping with her, but that would lead to questions. And Rogue didn't want to look like a rainbow on speed anyway.

* * *

The week passed both slowly as a slug and still with frightening speed. Rogue had a hard time concentrating and zoned out more than just a few times in class, growing more anxious with every passing day. When saturday finally rolled around, she was halfway to declaring herself insane. _How is it even possible to be so scared and yet look forward to something so much?_ She almost wished it was over, that she'd already worked it out of her system. That he was gone from her mind, because right now she couldn't sleep or eat, mind occupied by fantasies about how he would look, the feel of his skin on hers and his weight pressing her down, a hand fisted in her hair. Rogue had no illusions about him being careful and sweet but what unnerved her was that the thought sent a heaviness to the pit of her stomach.

She'd read and reread the message from Sabretooth and caught Logan staring at her with a scowl, nostrils flared and she blushed. Apparently her excitement was pretty transparent.

All her drawers were wide open, the contents of the closeth strewn across her bed and Rogue was close to tears. It's not like it's really that important. She tried telling herself but her wracked nerves made it seemingly impossible for her to choose what to wear. Another glance at the clock had her muttering 'fuck it' to the empty room and she slipped into black cargo pants that hung dangerously low on her hips, a black t-shirt that shoved a sliver of creamy skin below the hem and her black skateshoes. Ballroom style, full length gloves with old school tatto-patterns completed her look. Money, keys and her license slid into the pockets and a folded tank top, in case the shirt she was wearing happened to meet its destiny by claw or tooth. She picked up the package of condoms, swallowing nervously as she stared at it for a few seconds. Her mind reeled a little as it sank in that she was actually going to do this, her heartbeat speeding and she flushed. Pocketing the bright red package, she listened carefully before opening the door.

The hallway was empty and she hurried on quiet feet over the carpeted floor. Her heightened hearing, stolen from both Logan and her brief contact with Sabretooth, did come in handy in times like this. Dodging around a corner to avoid running into Scott, she made it out undetected. A slight detour around the garden to keep her as hidden as possible got her to the bus stop almost perfectly on time. No other students seemed to be sneaking out tonight and she let out a relieved sigh when she sank into her seat at the back of the bus.

* * *

Rogue didn't see him but his eyes was on her from the shadows in the alley across the street when she entered the bar. That scent of nervous excitement made his mouth water and he could feel his fangs growing just a fraction of an inch. She was slightly early and as far as he could tell she was indeed alone. Class 5 healing or not, he wasn't taking any chances. He turned around to go check the surroundings. She would probably need a little time to get a few drinks anyway.

While Sabretooth silently slipped into the night, Rogue was having a few shots to calm her nerves. When she entered the bar she glanced around, feigning disinterest. Truth was all her senses were tuned in to find him but the hulk of a man was nowhere to be seen.

She was still leaning on the bar, nursing her third bourbon when she caught some unwanted attention. A skinny, tattooed man in a dirty flannel shirt with cutoff sleeves leaned on the bar next to her.

"Hey, sweetie. I couldn't help but notice your accent. Now why don't you come over to our table and let us southerners show you a good time, hm?" He was from Texas, she could tell by his accent. Glancing towards the table he motioned to, she saw a rough looking bunch of men and she couldn't be less interested in a bunch of hillbillies on a road trip.

"Why, thank you for your kind offer, but I'm kind of waiting for a... friend." She didn't know why she laid on her accent so thickly, but she hoped acting like a southern belle would make him back down, despite her not looking the part.

"Well I can't imagine your friend would be mad if you joined us for a while."

He stepped closer, running a finger along her gloved arm and for the first time in a very long time she wished she didn't wear them. She barely stopped herself from shuddering.

"You know, we'd keep you company." He leered at her.

Just as she was about to open her mouth huge hands with clawed fingers landed heavily on the bar top on each side of her and a growl deep enough to rattle her ribs filled her ears, making her jump and squeak. She turned around, caged between massive arms to find herself eyes to chest with Sabretooth. A quick glance at the nuisance of a man that had started to make her anxious just seconds earlier made a slightly sadistic smirk stretch her lips as he'd gone sheet white. Her eyes flicked to Sabretooth's face and his snarl was absolutely feral, leaving no room for doubt that he would gut you and probably wallow in your blood. Despite her relief at not being in the receiving end, Rogue couldn't help but feel a dampness spreading in her boy shorts.

Her hands flew up of their own accord, smoothing her palms along his sides and the action caught his attention. Sabretooth's nostrils flared and she blushed as his attention snapped to her, a knowing smirk replacing his vicious snarl. He crowded her against the bar, pressing against her as he dipped his head and scented her. Rogue's nerves fluttered and she felt weak and numb and flushed in an odd mix.

"Hmm, brave little pussy." He hummed and the deep rumbling of his voice made things to her that was downright indecent. His wicked smirk widened as he took another breath before stepping back a minuscule step, leaving her some room to compose herself.

The sounds of the bar returned to normal when her thundering heart slowed and she pulled a ragged breath and exhaled shakily.

She watched him pick up her glass, sniffing it before taking a sip and handing it to her. "You're learning. Not the cheap crap you ordered last time." He stated.

She just dipped her head in acknowledgement and emptied the glass. She was really going to need it.

"Walk." He pointed a clawed finger at the door, crowding her again to herd her and she automatically moved away. As much as she wanted him even closer, he was still an apex predator and all instincts told her to run. That would probably not be a good idea, she mused, having learned the hard way that running from a feral was a good way to trigger hunting instincts. The thought of him chasing her sent an unexpected spike of lust and she wondered if she should be worried that the most appealing about that idea was him catching her.

The street was empty and the second the door slammed shut behind them, Sabretooth's hand clamped around her shoulder, claws digging in just enough to cause slight discomfort but making it abundantly clear that she wouldn't be going anywhere unless he allowed it. He led her to a ridiculously big, black pick up and hoisted her up with one arm as if she weighed nothing. Rogue didn't even have time to process it before he'd thrown her into the front seat and slammed the door behind her.

The only sound to break the silence was Rogue's hammering heart and whether it was her shallow breathing, the booze or her steadily increasing nervousness she couldn't tell but she was getting light headed. All of a sudden she burst into laughter and Sabretooth looked at her like she'd just grown a second head and his nostrils flared as he scented the air, probably checking if she was going crazy.

"I guess size matters." She snorted out in the midst of her laughing. He glanced at her, face blank but at least he wasn't killing her. Yet.

"I don't know what I expected, but of course you would have a huge car. And then I just got a picture in my head of you crammed into a tiny Toyota and it was so hilarious with your knees under your chin and then I wondered if everything with you is big and would you look at me rambling?! Shutting up now. "

It started with a small tug in the corners of his mouth, and she was relieved that he seemed to find it amusing instead of insulting.

"If size matters then you won't be disappointed, everything is indeed big." He leered and Rogue blushed.

At least the tension eased and she relaxed a little in her seat. "Where are we going?"

"Hotel."

He didn't elaborate and Rogue didn't ask. Wherever they were going, she was probably in for one hell of a ride.


	3. Chapter 3

It was awkward at first, how could it _not_ be? She was literally untouched. He, though nowhere close to innocent, wasn't exactly experienced when it came to what she was looking for. For years the only ways he'd gotten laid was paying for it and the odd non consensual. It was easy but it was getting old. His heightened senses always gave away how the moaning of a hooker was fake. This, though, _this_ was something completely new. The girl in front of him, small but deadlier than a snake, really peaked his interest. Though nervous, she didn't outright fear him and he actually aroused her and wasn't _that_ refreshingly new? She _wanted_ him to touch her. And if that had happened before in his long life, it was so far in the past, he couldn't recall it. She was using him for his mutation _for fucks sake_ , this was a business arrangement but it didn't lessen the appeal of the opportunity to corrupt one of the x-men, and his runt of a brother's ward nonetheless.

Rogue was fidgeting slightly under his intense eyes when he decided his course of action. He'd slammed the door shut behind him and stopped to look her up and down. His scrutiny unnerved her but it was strangely exciting. His nostrils flared and a smile that was pure sin spread over his face. He crouched slightly, stalking her and she backed away until her legs hit something and she yelped in surprise when she tripped backwards, landing on the bed.

Sabretooth kept closing in, pushing her backwards and he pressed her down, trapping her with his bodyweight alone. She tilted her head when he scented the crook of her neck and gasped when he nipped the skin. His lips curved against her skin and he nipped her again, a little harder this time, before he soothed the little scratches he left with his tongue. Her mutation wasn't pulling much because then the scratches would've healed already, but he felt a tingling wherever their skin touched and his own mutation kicking in hummed in his entire body. It was oddly arousing and he was growing hard. Rogues still gloved hands skittered light as feathers over his back, unsure of what to do and how to do it, and he raised his head. She inhaled sharply when she saw his blown pupils.

"Rougher. I can take it." He said, his wicked smile showing off sharp fangs. "And get the fucking gloves off."

She struggled to reach around him but it was a futile effort, he was too massive.

"Can't." She mumbled.

He sat back on his knees, straddling her thighs and holding her in place with one hand across her chest, and with surprisingly gentle fingers he slowly slipped the gloves off, trailing her increasingly exposed skin with his fingertips. Rogue swallowed audibly from the intense feeling of the first skin on skin contact ever, at least in this context, and the low growl of pleasure from him when the pull of her carefully controlled mutation started made her want to squirm to get some friction. It was impossible though, with him trapping her legs, and she was hopelessly at his mercy.

When he settled his weight back on her he moved the hand that previously held her down, tangling his fingers in her hair and forced her to tilt her head more, giving him more access to her neck. She hissed a little at the sting of his rough tugging and earned a deep growl in answer. His other hand slid under her shirt and Sabretooth mouthed across her throat. She could feel the curving of his lips when her heart raced at the prickle of his fangs on the soft skin. He ground his hips and his hard length pressed against her thigh and suddenly she wasn't frozen in place anymore, a crazy compulsion to touch, to lick, to bite, to just...more!

Rogue's blunt nails dug into his back through the shirt and he answered with dragging his claws down her side. She gasped, but the pain didn't lessen the pleasure. She tugged at his shirt, wanting more, and sharpened her strenuous hold on her mutation. He paused his nipping at her throat and lifted himself slightly, allowing her to pull his shirt off and she threw it to the floor. When he nipped her bottom lip, she boldly licked his upper lip and he caught her tongue, sucking it into his mouth.

The kiss wasn't slow and gentle, but rough and hungry and when her tongue explored his mouth she licked his fangs and that earned her a growl, vibrating through her ribs and the sound made her hips buck of their own accord. He tasted salty and sweet and she wanted to devour him, to never break this first real kiss she'd ever had. It was a heady feeling for the untouchable woman to actually feel his rough tongue on hers, taking control of her mouth and kissing her until she had to break it to gasp for air.

"Shirt. Off." Sabretooth's voice was thick and growly.

He sat back up to allow her space to move around and she obeyed, suddenly self conscious. This was the first time anyone saw her this bare. Suspecting that the piece of clothing in question would cease to exist if she didn't take it off herself, she hesitated for only a second before she pulled it over her head. Out of practicality, _and wasn't that a weird thing to consider when you were going to lose your virginity?!_ , she wasn't wearing a bra and she felt the blush spread as he eyed her like she was a particularly tasty piece of meat.

Sabretooth pushed her back down and held her in place with a hand around her throat and all she could do was grab his wrist with both her hands. He nipped her hard, drawing a little blood below her right breast, across her ribs and she inhaled sharply. The pain and her helplessness turned her on even more and he smirked when his nostrils flared. Sure, she could've let go of her control over her mutation, but what made her blush was the fact that she didn't _want_ to. _Not at all_.

So when his hand fidgeted with the button of her pants, she grabbed the back of his neck as best as she could and pressed his head down, silently asking for more of those teeth and his tongue. He obviously allowed her to, because even as she had pulled a little of his mutation there was no way in hell that she would be physically able to make him do anything. His tongue stroked her nipple and the unexpected contact elicited a moan from her that would've made a pornstar blush.

It all happened very quickly after that. As soon as Sabretooth's fingers were done with the button, he lifted her hips and tugged her pants and underwear off in a single impatient motion. He slid rough palms along her legs and up her hips to settle around her slim waist and she fumbled with his belt, wondering if she was truly ready.

When she finally freed his cock from his pants, _trust him to go commando_ , her nerves returned full force. _There was_ no way _that would fit inside her!_ He lined up and she tried to make herself ready.

"Condom!" She suddenly remembered. "In the pocket of my pants."

He leaned back and rummaged through her pockets, looking at her with pitch black, unblinking eyes and she felt like a deer caught in the headlights. She tried keeping her eyes on his face but gave it up when he carefully rolled the condom onto his hard cock with purposefully slow movements. From the corner of her eyes, she saw his smirk when she downright stared. Her heart raced, and she could feel herself become even wetter despite freaking out in her head.

When he pushed inside her in one slow but unrelenting move she gasped in pain and squirmed, trying to get away as he stretched her and when he started to pull out again, she was waiting for him to take it out all the way but he didn't.

"Your mutation. Control it less. Relax." He growled before sliding into her again. Her slickness made it easy even though she was tight.

Rogue just shook her head. Even if she eased up on her control, the control that distracted her and indeed made it harder to enjoy this, _oh he was right about that!_ , there was just no way this could feel good. She comforted herself with the thought that at least she'd lost her virginity now, momentarily forgetting how much she'd enjoyed it up until now. As he picked up the pace, the stretching sensation lessened gradually and it actually felt kind of good but it wasn't enough. When he came, she didn't. He bit down hard over the muscle at the juncture of her neck and shoulder and she cried out in pain.

Sabretooth licked the bite mark a few times before rolling off her, sprawling on his back and Rogue just stayed where she was, uncertain what to say or do. He was the one to break the silence and when she glanced at him he was still semi-hard.

"I'm guessing this wasn't exactly what you've expected. I'm not used to do it... Like this."

She lifted her head and looked at him. _Was that a Sabretooth version of an apology?_ From what she'd picked up from the gossip, it was fairly normal that the first time wasn't exactly enjoyable. It hurt and from what her friends had told her, most boys weren't even half as good as he'd been until he got impatient. "It was OK, I think." She answered.

"We need more practice. I can go again right now..." He leered.

Rogue couldn't decide what to say, so she just dropped her head back to the mattress. She wasn't sure she wanted to do this again. But then again, what had she expected? That he would turn it into something from a cheesy, romantic movie? He was Sabretooth for fucks sake!

He could scent her blood and not just from his bite. Even though he wasn't out to truly hurt her on purpose, he was still enough of a sadistic bastard to relish in the metallic scent. It made his mouth water and, maybe it was a conditioned reflex, but it made him go painfully hard nonetheless.

"You're bleeding. I'll clean you."

The only thing Rogue had time to do when he grabbed her hips was squeak in protest. He was already on her before she comprehend what he was going to do. A surprised gasp escaped her lips and her hips jerked when his rough tongue traced her folds and pressed over the sensitive nub. He cocked his head and grinned wickedly at her, looking a lot like the leopard that caught the gazelle, and she did absolutely nothing to stop him when he continued lapping at her now slick folds. Some lingering purely physical arousal from before wound up with years of non-touch and she let out a wanton moan, her legs straining for she didn't really know what. It caught her by such surprise, she lost all conscious control of her mutation and energy rushed through her.

Sabretooth let out a groan of pure pleasure. She was draining him but not too fast for his own mutation to keep up and the sensation of every cell in his body buzzing from her leeching and his healing was the most arousing thing he had ever experienced. Strong hands on her writhing hips, he kept her in place, continuing his languid administrations and relished in the wanton moans that he elicited from her. Her scent told him there was no lie there, just pure want and need and that was a new experience that took him to even greater heights.

The tension coiled in the pit of her stomach until she thought she would explode and then he stopped. Rasping his teeth across her thigh, he slowly worked his way up, nipping at her hipbone, licking her side up to her ribs. He flicked her clit with a knuckle, minding his claws and she arched her back, moaning.

"Please." She sobbed

"Please, what?"

"I... More." She seemed unable to come up with a coherent sentence.

"Say it, pussy." He said, stilling his finger.

Rogue tried to grind against his hand but he let out a dangerous growl and grabbed her hips, holding her down. She let out a needy whine, tanginess of a sudden spike of fear from his growl flavoured her sweet and tart scent and it was just too much. He dug his claws into the palm of his hand to stop himself from just taking her.

"Goddamn it, fuck me, please just fucking fuck me!" She begged, and wasn't _that_ something that turned him on impossibly more?

This time, there was no slow, teasing movements when he put the rubber on, just urgent slides with both hands and she was impatient now, not nearly panicked.

He rubbed his knuckles over her swollen bud and it was all it took to send her over the edge. She arched her back and when she screamed his name, he buried himself inside her to the hilt even before her shuddering contractions had stopped. When she went limp, he just lifted her hips, relentlessly pounding into her and she answered within seconds, bucking her hips up to meet him, taking as much as he could give.

Rogue felt the stolen healing reload her body with new energy, that coil tightening again until her entire body was taut as the strings on a violin. Every muscle in her body was straining and she wanted to fall again when he pulled out, flipping her over on all fours and he slammed into her, steadying her with a bruising grip on her hips. She was so close, all muscles screaming with tension but she just couldn't seem reach the edge. She bucked and ground until he grabbed the back of her neck, claws digging into her skin and he pressed her head down into the mattress as if she didn't offer any resistance at all. Her submissive position egged him on and with a flick of her clit he sent her into oblivion, following her with a growl. He bit down hard on her shoulder but it only seemed to heighten her pleasure.

Panting wildly, he collapsed on top of her, strangely sated. Her mutation had pulled enough from him to make him feel completely spent and he enjoyed the natural sedation that seemed to be the result. Sabretooth hadn't ever been this relaxed and it was a novelty he would not mind to experience again. Normally, his libido would be back full force within minutes after completion. Under him the girl stirred and he rolled off allowing her to breathe more freely without his weight restraining her. _How uncharacteristically considerate of me_ , he mused fleetingly.

That train of thought was cut short when Rogue rolled over, splaying an arm and a leg across him. Not really one for cuddling, or maybe it was just that nobody had ever dared try it before, he indulged her, too exhausted to really care. He almost felt like when he had been sedated in the lab, the suppression collar stopping his body from burning off the drugs they gave him, only this felt good. Her fingers started wandering his chiseled abs, exploring every ridge and groove, leaving tingling trails in their wake. If he hadn't been so drained he would've been growing hard again. When she tasted his skin, dragging her tongue over his shoulder he glanced at her and his eyes widened with surprise.

Rogue's eyes showed just a tiny sliver of amber irises around blown pupils. He caught a glimpse of sharp fangs when she licked him. Her hand on his stomach started traveling further down and he let her continue her exploration. This turn of events was very interesting. Because he had clearly underestimated her mutation. Obviously she'd absorbed a whole lot of both his energy and his mutation. And the results were rather intriguing, both the state they both were in at the moment but on a much larger scale too. Interesting indeed.

"Hate to break it to ya, puss, but I ain't ready for another round."

She made a disappointed whining sound and tried to grind her hot center against his hip. "But I want more. Need more."

"Well that's my energy you're using right now. But go ahead and try to get it up, I ain't stopping, just taking a break."

* * *

He dropped her off down the road from the mansion at the crack of dawn, his only parting words 'I'll be in touch.' Rogue had been gone for less than twelve hours but she couldn't help but feel like she'd been gone for years. She'd left a blushing virgin and came back well and thoroughly fucked. _Several times_. She licked her lips at the thought.

The new, enhanced senses made everything look and smell different, she could hear every critter moving about and it was slightly overwhelming but exhilarating none the less. Sabretooth's senses must be sharper than Wolverines, she had absorbed a lot of him previously but it didn't come near this. Or maybe her mutation had pulled from him to save her life and this time survival was not an issue. Sabretooth's energy coursed through her veins and she broke into a sprint, running a perimeter along the fence. There was no way she wouldn't enjoy the feeling of raw power and she almost felt high on it.

While her body moved with a new grace and speed, her mind wandered to the night, going through it all to sketch every detail into her memory. From what she'd heard from her friends, she was pretty certain that this single night had granted her more experience than most girls had in a long time. Her insecurity and awkwardness had disappeared after that first mind wracking orgasm, wether from his influence or by her own greed she didn't know and didn't really care about.

Being with Sabretooth was surprisingly easy. She didn't have to worry about what he would think of her, because she didn't care. She was coming to terms with the fact that she liked him being rough and dominant, something that had unnerved her at first. It seemed a little too perverted for someone as inexperienced as her. _Maybe she was a natural born badgirl?_

And he looked simply delicious, far better than she had even imagined. So considering their compatibility and her attraction to him, it was far too easy to nod an agreement to his promise to contact her again. Starved for touch, Rogue decided to hold on to this as long as she could. _No harm, no foul to just get off, right?_ As long as no one knew, no one could care.

As the sun rose, she entered the house silently on bare feet, shoes in hand. A quick sniff at her shirt made her take a detour to the laundry room. She ignored the fact that she wanted to walk around all day, permeated with his scent on her skin and all over her clothes, reminding her of what almost seemed like a dream. The people around her definitely wouldn't be ready for that, and the resident ferals would be able to tell what she'd done from a mile away. She smiled, wickedly, at the thought of how Logan and Scott would freak out if they knew. Apparently it was even more fun when it was forbidden. _No more miss nice southern belle-Rogue._ She snickered to the empty room.

Dumping the clothes straight into the washing machine, she nicked one of Logan's shirts from the dryer, it was clearly Logan's since no one else used flannel, and headed for her room. A long shower later, scrubbing away any evidence of the night left on her skin, her new senses left her with a new problem. Although not one for using lots of perfume anyway, her lightly scented shampoo and shower gel suddenly seemed to reek with artificial odours.

She didn't think she could manage to sleep, wired as she was, but it was just a matter of minutes before she fell into a dreamless sleep and she didn't wake until noon.

It was a beautiful day and her restlessness brought her outside. The new level of hearing she was saddled with gave her a new perspective on Logan's need to run off and have a little solitude now and then. A place filled with kids was fucking noisy. She took a walk in the surrounding forest, losing herself in trying to get used to her new senses. Ultimately it was her sense of smell that brought her back. The barbeque was burning and Scott was flipping burgers. Logan was staring at his back so hard Rogue wondered if _he_ wouldn't actually start sending laser beams soon. She saw his nostrils flare and he turned, scrutinizing her with a small frown. She was growing twitchy fast under his glare, was there something off about her that he would notice?

Grabbing the Wolverine by the claws she walked past him straight to the food. She scented the air but she had not yet learned to interpret what his scent meant and she mentally shrugged it off. So, maybe she was showing slightly more skin than usual, a tank top replacing her ever present longsleeved poloshirt. Who the fuck was _he_ to glare? She was wearing _gloves_ for fucks sake, and it was warm outside. The Sabretooth in her head growled in approval and she almost jumped. He'd kept quiet and out of her way up there and she'd almost forgotten about him.

The smell of food overwhelmed her and she impatiently waited for her turn to pick it up, trying hard to not snarl and chase people away from the food. Being feral and behaving normally obviously took some practice. She slipped a couple of times, a growl or two and a curl of her upper lip, but it seemed to go unnoticed and she reined it in quickly. Piling the plate high, when all the slowassed kids finally had taken their pick, she plopped down in a chair, slapping together a huge double burger with a tiny mountain of bacon on top all the while tearing meat from the chicken wings that tasted even better than they smelled.

As she tore into the burger like a famished wolf she realized the gazes locked on her and she froze mid bite. Were they eyeing her food? Working hard to choking a roar, her voice came out gravelly.

" What?!"

"Dang, girl. As long as I have known you, you've been close to being a vegetarian. And a neat and picky eater at that. What changed" Jubilee stated the facts.

"Well I'm hungry." Rogue blurted, at a loss for how to explain her change in taste and manners. She hadn't even considered it.

Logan sneaked by her and without her feral senses she probably wouldn't have noticed, but now it was clear as day: he scented her, trying to figure out what was her deal. At the moment she didn't find it in her to care. This new fuck-all attitude was very liberating, and all of it was not borrowed from Sabretooth. Rogue had grown up in the span of a few hours. No longer the quiet, self conscious girl. _You ain't seen shit yet. You just wait and see._


	4. Chapter 4

Gloves. The gloves _he_ peeled off her that first time. Rogue was staring at them as they lay on her bed on top of the pile with folded clothes, washed and ready to be put back into their drawers, if they ever made it that far. They were a new constant in her dress code. With her particular mutation, a closet full of gloves for every occasion was a natural but these had risen from mostly just laying there to everyday use. Bought on a whim because they looked cool and were thin enough to wear in the summer, she hadn't worn them much. The bold tattoo design had been a little too much for her, making her feel exposed as the likeness to real tattoos drew attention to her. Now, though, she loved them. The way they reminded her of _that_ time. And her newfound self esteem made her like the way they drew the eyes of others. It was like a private 'fuck you' to anyone who dared believe she wouldn't overcome her hardships.

And that train of thought led her to the decision to get a real tattoo. She had a pretty good idea of what she was going to get so she went online to find a good artist. One that wouldn't have any issues with her skin. Searching for the perfect picture to mark her, she got a general idea about what she wanted and sent an email to a studio that she found she liked the work of.

It was a satisfying feeling, this new control of her life. For every day that passed, Rogue peeled off a little more of her clothes: a shortsleeved shirt or shorts instead of covering as much as she could. This new idea to get a tattoo was another important step in her liberation, to own her own skin. The line to get an appointment was fairly long, but it was worth the wait.

* * *

The second time they met up was like the first, without the apprehensiveness and the discomfort. Rogue dared herself to sass and swagger and it worked, he was hard and ready as they entered the room. The first coupling was quick and dirty and it was even better than she'd fantasized about from her memories.

* * *

The third time, they didn't even make it to the room. She rode him hard in the backseat of that pick up and it was wilder and more intense than she thought possible. Sabretooth pushed her to new revelations about herself every time but she was getting comfortable with it. Gone was her own judgmental views of herself. Whatever she liked, she should do. She was _T_ _he Rogue_ for fucks sake. And he didn't judge her. In fact, Sabretooth seemed to indulge her. Maybe he'd seen all, done all and more before. But he didn't even cock a brow at whatever she did or, more often, what she _let_ him do to her. Nor did he seem to hold her in contempt just because she was willingly submitting to him.

The third time, they actually talked more than just the barely necessary. He dropped her off as usual, this time with a promise to teach her more about how to handle and use her new senses.

* * *

And that was how they ended up on the roof to a run down apartment building. She was a good student, quickly picking up on his instructions on both how to scent emotions on people and how to spot danger in her surroundings and that in itself was a turn on.

Nothing to bother them was around, though, and he used the opportunity to once again unnerv her. Putting his hands around her waist, he lifted her slim form slightly, as if he'd hoist her over the edge before pulling her back flush against him, a hand around her throat pinning her to him. She gasped and he smirked in satisfaction. That tangy almost-fear would never cease to ignite a spark in him. Then her scent sweetened.

 _Fuck, she liked that!_ Sabretooth had done his fair share of freaky stuff in his long life, but this little slip of a woman continued to intrigue him. He pressed up against her back, nipping her neck and she instantly dropped her head in submission, a wanton moan leaving her lips. He couldn't help himself, the needy little sound pushed his impatience and he simply shredded her damn shirt, wanting more of her deliciously smooth, lurkingly dangerous skin. She gasped and he caught the tiny spike of irritation but he didn't give a flying fuck about whether she'd liked that shirt or not.

The irritation disapeared when his hand slipped down the waistline of her pants. _Did she wear those damned cargos to make this easier?_ Not that he had anything against those pants that hung so low it looked like they'd fall off at any second.

"So wet and ready for me, little girl." He growled against her neck.

She arched and panted at his slight touch and he smirked at the way her scent spiked at his growl. He'd found out quickly that while she absolutely hated to be called a kid, calling her a little girl made her all hot and bothered. His girl was easy to turn on, even a low growl would make her squirm. _What?! When did she become his girl?_

He did her the favour of unbuttoning her pants rather than tear them off and he could see the muscles in her back strain as she braced herself against the ledge when he leaned his weight on her and slid into her warmth. It seemed he'd found yet another kink of hers, that she got turned on by fucking where they could get caught. Just knowing that he was her first for everything they did gave him great pleasure, possessive bastard that he was.

Sabretooth growled and dug his claws into her hip to still her as she tried to grind on his fingers and she immidately obeyed. He rewarded her with flicking her clit and the sounds she made made him nip her neck to still her.

"Quiet." He growled.

He slammed into her harder, and she was making little whining noises trying to obey him but when he continuously rubbed her sensitive nub she couldn't anymore and she screamed out her orgasm when she clenched around him, her contractions pulling him with her over the edge.

It wasn't until seconds later he realized she hadn't pulled as much from him as usual, maybe out of precaution from their exposed position. But it could be his mutation adapting to hers. He'd just have to explore this hypothesis more.

* * *

Rogue was stretched out on her side, the gloved fingers of the artist steadying her hip, the buzzing loud to her sensitive ears, nose invaded by the sharp scent of cleaning products mingled with blood and the burning sting of the needle piercing her skin. Funny how just weeks ago she would blush just at the thought of exposing way less of her skin, yet here she was, almost naked in front of a stranger. It was kind of cathartic, claiming her own skin by choosing the motive, where to put it and get it done. The smaller ones were already done. Scattered on her lower arm were small symbols of the events that led her to where she was now: a lip mark for her first kiss, two leeches for her skin, a sketchy treasure map for her road trip from home, three parallel red lines for wolverine, a stylized cross for the X-men, a horseshoe magnet for magneto, a heart of ice for Bobby and a tribal style statue of liberty.

The masterpiece though, because he had touched her life in several occasions and changed her more profoundly than even her parents throwing her out had, was taking shape on her hip and up her side. In vivid colors a Sabre-toothed cat, crouched to strike was appearing at the skilled hands of the artist. The muscles at the shoulders bunched, ears flattened and a menacing snarl on its face it looked beautiful and deadly. Just like him. Adding a sensual touch, the tail curled around her thigh. She was pulled out of her musings by careful hands swabbing down the raw skin of the tattoo.

"We'll stop here for this time. It's getting swollen and your skin will be better off with some time to heal."

The no-stress approach suited her fine. She'd be back in two weeks to finish it. Rogue looked down at the halfway done piece and it was even better than she had imagined it. It was too good to not show it off when it was done and with the still weeping skin wrapped up she decided to go on a quick shopping trip for some clothes that would flaunt it. She needed shorter gloves as well. A smirk graced her lips at the thought of how much she had changed. _Changed indeed_.

Logan met her in the hallway when she came home, shopping bags in hand but covered up enough to not show any of her still dressed tattoos. He discreetly sniffed the air but it didn't elude her and she rolled her eyes in annoyance. _Nosy much?!_

"Kid, are you hurt?"

He frowned, but the concerned expression seriously rubbed her the wrong way and she bristled.

"First of all, who the hell do you think you are to literally stick your nose in my business? And secondly I'm not a fucking kid anymore! I'm old enough to get a fucking tattoo."

She pulled the long glove down to expose the dressing of the tattoo, and she felt her lip curl of it's own volition into a baring of teeth. Logan stared at her, dumbstruck, and she turned to make a hasty retreat before he could come up with any questions.

"Language!"

He shouted after her in feeble attempt to restore the order in his world, where she was still a shy and well mannered girl and she snorted a private laugh that she was certain he could hear. Oh, he'd get to see the big tattoo in time. He wouldn't know the true meaning of it but she would gloat privately at what she blatantly would be rubbing in his face and he'd be clueless. _When did she turn into a spiteful, vindictive bitch?_ And why hadn't she done it way back, because this was fun and exciting and... hunger inducing.

Rogues stomach growled, again, and she detoured to the kitchen. Seemed like she could eat constantly nowadays. Especially when she had done something that triggered her acquired healing. Like getting a tattoo. Luckily, her body didn't seem to reject the ink. Fleetingly she noted that triggering the healing also seemed to pull up the other characteristics of Sabretooth she'd absorbed. Like that charming little display of temper before.

* * *

And when it seemed Rogue had managed to master toeing the line of showing off the changes in her personality without causing too much suspicions, the shit suddenly hit the fan. It was in a danger room session of all places and she was teamed with Kitty against Bobby and Jubes but the other girls was counted out and it was just her and Iceman left on the stage.

"Come on, leech. It's not like I want to touch you." He leered.

"You know, you're more frigid than any sculpture I could make."

The taunts wasn't uncommon, she had always thought that he was trying to rile her up to get her to do something rash. But now, with her new senses, she picked up on his true intentions. He was just spiteful, contempt and disgust souring his smell and Rogue saw red. The Sabretooth in her head snarled and so did Rogue, a baring of impressive canines as she pounced. Bobby didn't even have time to react, unprepared for her improved speed and agility, and she grabbed him by the collar, throwing him 10 feet where he hit the wall.

His scent was turning into fear and she sucked it up greedily, letting it feed the rage, stalking him like prey. The smile that stretched her lips was bloodchillingly cold and anticipatory of the carnage to come. There was a whirlwind in her mind of all the personalities she'd ever absorbed abruptly returning and they were all yelling, foaming at the mouth, cheering her on. Someone caught the edge of her awareness, how she couldn't tell, but when Wolverine charged her, she dismissively waved her hand at him and as if she had practiced using it for years, Magneto's power was called upon and in her total control. Wolverine was thrown across the room hitting the wall, but before he could even land on the floor, he was thrown in the other direction, hitting the wall once more before she released him.

Slowly stalking the cowering boy in front of her, the blinding rage was replaced with eerily calm, cold calculation. She was taking her sweet time approaching him, building his fear and relishing the hunt and the absolute power she held over him now. Like a dear in the headlights, Iceman was frozen in place. ' _Witty!'_ The Sabretooth in her head whispered in a gleeful voice.

Rogue's clawed hand reached out slowly before pulling Bobby to his feet by the throat. Leaning in close to his neck, she inhaled deeply and her eyes almost rolled back into her head while her head lolled back, drunk on power.

"He's right. The scent of fear is as close to sex you could get without actually fucking." She whispered to herself.

"Well, leech or not, there's _no fucking way_ I'd ever suck _anything_ of yours." She leered to the shivering boy and there was a roar of laughter in her head from Sabretooth. "I'd like to gut you slowly and tear your throat out, though, but I reckon that wouldn't go down well with the rest o' the crew."

She punched him in the nose, hearing a satisfying crunch and as she released him, he slid down the wall, crying like a child. Rogue stepped back and that was the moment the adrenaline high left her. The rapid changes in her body had her wobbling on her feet before she felt her knees buckle, darkness claiming her before she hit the floor.

* * *

The sound of voices grated on her mind and drove her out of her blissful unconsciousness. Rogue slowly lifted her pounding head and found that she was in the lab. Hank, the professor and Logan stood there, following her movements with clear unease.

' _Are you snooping around in here, Charles?'_ Her inner Magneto piped up. Sabretooth snarled and launched into a marathon of dirty jokes and fantasies, _or memories, who could tell?_ of blood and destruction. Rogue realized that he was covering up, doing his best to keep her mind protected and she allowed him.

"Marie, how are you feeling?"

It was a good thing, and probably calculated to be, that it was Hank who approached her. Genuine concern was all she could get from him even though he was cautious.

"Feel like a train wreck. I'll live. But I want food. Lots of food. Now."

Hank nodded once but nobody moved and she hoped that the professor made a mental shout out to someone, because she was starving.

"What the hell happened in there, kid? Logan clearly hadn't got the memo and she gritted her teeth.

"He was nasty to me. _Again_. Something in me snapped. Obviously my mutation accelerated or something, everyone returned." She tapped her temple.

The Wolverine in her head was neatly shut inside his cell. Funny that he had once been the one she had given more leeway before but how Sabretooth now was the apex predator prowling the space.

"I really don't feel like doing this right now, I don't know anything more than you do. I just want to eat a ton of food and then go crash in my own bed."

Logan looked at her, disbelieving, but he left it at that. Hank and the professor had a silent conversation before agreeing to her conditions.

"We _will_ talk about this later." Logan held her gaze, showing her that she wasn't off the hook yet.

Rogue gave him a calculating stare and inclined her head once to show she'd gotten the message before she got up and trailed after Hank to the kitchen, leaving a bewildered Wolverine in her wake.


	5. Chapter 5

'Need ya. Tonight.'

It was the first time she was the one to make contact. Rogue had figured he wanted to be in control of when and where they met, but this time she didn't want to wait. He had to be ok with that. _Right? Desperate times 'n all that._

Hank had "guided" her to the kitchen and Rogue happily emptied the fridge and then some. They dropped her off at her room, but she could hear them outside the door, keeping watch, as she hit the shower. _They are so trusting and supportive!_ She thought, rolling her eyes.

The first thing she did after the shower, hair still dripping wet and fingers leaving wet marks on the screen, was to turn off the sound and vibration on the phone and send that text. She could tell that Beast and Scott was still camped outside her door. Beast would hear her movements, so she grabbed a book, slowly flipping the pages even though she couldn't concentrate on reading.

It had been a close call call this morning and this was probably not the best night to sneak out, but she really needed to see him. It wasn't even just the physical things she wanted and that was an unnerving realization she wasn't quite prepared to analyze.

Giving up on the pretense of reading, she turned off the lights and laid in the dark, staring at the phone. Rogue could hear the men outside her door discussing her in low voices and she realized this was just a temporary respite. They would start testing her very soon.

She flipped the screen on once again and now there was a message. She couldn't stop her heart from racing for a few beats and Hank hushed Scott outside the door. *Damned superhearing.

'Pick you up where I left you. 45 minutes.'

How the hell was she going to get out without being heard. Or should she just bust out and run? _Why, that wouldn't be conspicuous at all._

Not using her new, stealthy movements, she got up and opened the window and returned straight to bed. Best to pretend she was just warm. Trying to even her breathing to feign sleep, she heard Hank narrate to Scott what she did.

It seemed like ages, but in reality it was just five minutes before the men outside her door decided that she was probably tucked in for the night and left. _Bless their gullible hearts._ Sabretooth in her head snorted at that.

The absence of guards didn't put her less on edge and she decided not to linger to change clothes. Sweatpants and the hoodie she was already wearing had to do. Swearing slightly that she had cleaned her room earlier, the only shoes not neatly lined up behind noisy closet doors were her black and crazy pink five fingers. _Fantastic._

The night was warm and the clouds made it pitch black. _Perfect for sneaking out with dubious intent._ She gleefully thought. _Was she turning into an adrenaline junkie?_ A little climbing later and Rogue stood on the ground, looking up at her window. This should feel wrong but she was totally unrepentant. Off she went, taking the longer way with less risk of being seen by prying eyes.

* * *

The black pick up was idling on the roadside when she arrived and she climbed in.

"You're late."

"Sorry but there were babysitters every-fucking-where."

There was obvious frustration in her voice and he glanced at her, eyes stopping at her feet. *What the actual fuck? His eyebrow arched in a way that reminded her very much of Logan.

"Nice shoes."

"Perfect for spelunking." She retorted, and obviously he was missing out on something funny, because she was looking smugly at him.

"What?"

Rogue pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Please don't tell me you haven't seen 'Evolution'?"

She looked at him to as if he'd just told her that he didn't know what a phone was. Sabretooth tried to figure out what she was talking about.

"We are the evolution?"

The woman heaved a frustrated sigh, throwing her hands in the air but her scent gave away that she was amused. _She was acting?_ Instead of beating the information out of her like he would with just about everyone else, he allowed her to go on, curious about where she was going with this. He noted that she had a tendency to make him uncharacteristically patient but he found her shenanigans... amusing.

"We so have to address your total lack of education in the contemporary masterpieces of art. Hear: movies."

 _Did she just call him stupid in many long and fancy words?_ He scowled but it went unnoticed by her, as she turned to look out the window. He pulled out on the road and the rumbling of the engine was the only sound for a long time. She was good like that, funny and intelligent and yet they could share comfortable silence.

"Where are we going?"

"My place."

She turned to look at him but didn't say anything. Sabretooth had thought about this when he drove to pick her up and he figured it would be safe to take her to his apartment. It wasn't like he spent a lot of time there, he had better places to live, and if things went south, he could just abandon the place. It wasn't a nice place but it was definitely better than the sleazy pay-by-the-hour motels they'd used before. And it was less conspicuous than frequently showing up where they could be remembered. As much fun as fucking in cars and rooftops was, he wanted to take his sweet time with her and that took some privacy.

* * *

His place was small and sparsely furnished, not unclean but cluttered with stuff. As if he didn't give a damn about putting things away but still didn't like dust and dirt. Rogue's lips quirked at the thought of the infamous Sabretooth, armed with a pink, fluffy duster. The picture was a stark contrast with the things cluttering the space: knives, tranq darts(?!) and handcuffs. She picked up a wide leather collar with a handle on it, wondering what he would use _that_ for? Her mind trailed off in yet another direction she hadn't considered before.

She jumped and sqeaked in a very undignified way when a sinewy arm reach around her, picking the collar from her fingers. She had not heard him approach her and swiveled around to find him playing with the massive buckle on the thing.

"So, are you looking for a new necklace..." He paused and raised that brow, motioning in her direction with the thick leather. "...or were you thinking about leashing someone else?" He wrapped it around his own neck.

It really was incredible how he still could make her blush, considering all the ways he'd already had her. The fact was that he was pretty close to what she had been thinking and a flare of his nostrils combined with a knowing smirk had her going beet red, his smirk widening into a wicked grin.

"Ah, um... Well maybe..." She sputtered.

"I don't think you're ready for that, little girl." He growled, stalking her.

Here, in his territory, he managed to once again make her nervous. Rogue had grown increasingly comfortable with him but here it was painfully obvious that he still was an apex predator and she reminded herself that, though he had not done anything wrong against her yet, he was still a wild animal. The hunger in his eyes was unmistakable and she found herself backing away, much like she'd done the first time.

"Shirt off."

He commanded and she obeyed. She always did. When she pulled it off and dropped it to the floor, he stopped his advances and straightened out of his crouch. For a second she wondered what was wrong but then she followed his eyes and found that he was staring at the tattoo. He came over to her, kneeling beside her and pulled her pants down to get the full view. Rogue held her breath. She had forgotten about the piece, finished just days ago, in the midst of the days events. _What if he doesn't like it?_ She hadn't accounted for that, and hadn't even know she would care.

Clawed fingers gently traced the lines and planes still rough from scabbing. A slow smile stretched his lips, an unusual unguarded and genuine one, and it struck Rogue how devastatingly handsome he truly was in those rare moments.

"Nice." He growled glancing up at her.

His clever fingers trailed the tail of her tattooed beast and then he changed direction, sliding a knuckle through her slick folds. She groaned and let her head fall back but before she could even react, he stood, buckling the collar around her neck.

The heavy leather was smooth and her heart was racing out of her chest. He had always handled her roughly and been dominant but this held a new symbolism that she found quite delicious. He grabbed the handle and pulled her into his bedroom. Rogue struggled to step out of her pants along the way.

Of course his bed was huge. He straddled her to keep her in place when he tied her wrists to the headboard but she found herself helping him out. It didn't even surprise her that she liked this. So many times had her imagined limits been crossed, she just allowed him without hesitation. _Gotta try everything at least once._

He tied her feet too and there was something intensely exciting about being exposed, laying spread-eagled for him to look at. Rogue realized that what made her heart jump up into her throat was that he was looking at every inch of her in a way he hadn't before. For all the crazy things she'd done with him, it was always about touch. It started with touch and continued with it. Sure, he ordered her to undress sometimes, but that had always been a means to an end. As soon as the clothes were off he'd be on her. Now, sitting back on his haunches between her legs, he was downright ogling her, like he was memorizing every plane of her flesh he could see. It made her nervous, but even more, it made her horny. He was free to do exactly what he wanted to her, and there really wasn't anything she could do about it. If he didn't undress, she couldn't even use her skin to stop him...

Her nerves peaked and she saw him flare his nostrils. That wicked smile stretched his lips and he caught her eyes.

"I love the way you smell when you're both scared and wet for me at the same time. I'm not gonna hurt you."

Rogue let out a shaky breath she didn't knew she had been holding. He started at her ancle, slowly sliding both his hands up her leg and she found herself squirming to get him where she wanted him the most. Sabretooth growled at her to hold still and when she didn't, he repeated the agonizingly slow motion on her other leg. This time she strained to not move a fraction of an inch and he rewarded her with slow, teasing strokes through her folds. The pressure built fast and she was moaning and panting, her entire body shaking with tension from trying to hold still when he just stopped. Rogue let out a frustrated wail and he hummed a chuckle.

"So impatient, little girl."

This time he started out on her wrist and along the trail where he touched her, her skin felt electric with the energy she managed to pull from him. When his rough tongue stroked her nipple she almost came undone but he paused, yet again holding her from the much needed release. The self satisfied smirk on his face made her realize that Sabretooth was a tease. _Who would've thought._

When he entered her he was deliberately slow, careful not to let her come just yet and Rogue wanted to scream at him, punch him or beg and plead. She couldn't decide which or all of the above. He was indeed still wearing his clothes too, so she couldn't even shock him a little for good measure.

He kept the slow pace and stroked her nub until she was on the brink of the first shivering contraction and then he moved his hand away, nipping at her nipple instead.

"Please, just please. I can't take any more." She resorted to begging.

"You can, and you will, take more. There is no option. Now, be a good girl and stay still and maybe this will be quicker." His smile was downright evil. Of course he would be into torture, even if this was the sweet kind.

Rogue let her head drop back to the pillow. She wasn't exactly in a place to argue and she resigned to submitting to whatever he had planned. Her pouting got cut short when his finger flicked her clit again and she couldn't stop herself from arching her back, indignation filling her when she heard him chuckle at the moan of pure pleasure that slipped from her lips.

She was so close again but he stopped and pulled out of her, this time trailing light nips and rough licks from her collarbone, down to her nipple and continuing further down, stopping just short of where she wanted him. Her muscles were burning with tension and she could feel the quivering of that first contraction that he just wouldn't allow. She almost jumped at the light kiss he placed on her little nub and he continued to place light kisses up the tingling trail he'd left before. That was new. It had been licks and nips, always nips, but never kisses. She didn't mind though. The gentleness was a contrast to their previous times, even though she was tied up to complete helplessness.

When his lips ghosted across hers, she willingly granted him access, his rough tongue swirling around hers and she licked his fangs, knowing he liked that. Sabretooth pressed his hard length against her core and she made a little gasp that was lost in their joined mouths. Rogue realized that while she had thought she'd been frustrated before they started this venture, she'd been sorely mistaken. The way he had turned her into someone ready to beg and bargain was degrading. She didn't try to bargain. Rogue was pretty sure that wouldn't do her any good at all.

He entered her again, this time with a faster pace but she didn't dare to hope that he would end it now. The pace quickened and he broke their kiss, nuzzling her shoulder and she knew that he was getting close. He had always bitten her when he came, every single time, but she didn't mind. *Little pervert. The judgemental little trace in her mind piped up but she sqwashed it down.

And then he came with a rumbling growl, biting her shoulder, and his nimble fingers swirled her clit, sending her so far over the edge she lost sight of everything. It was the most intense orgasm she had ever had, without the normal high of his powers, and after the long build up. Rogue's mind went blank, everything around her seemed muffled and she screamed out his name in her climax, writhing and pulling on her restraints.

Coming down from her high, he was loosening the knots around her limbs, without her help. Rogue was boneless. At least it felt that way. She gave him a smile, eyes slitted. He returned it with a cocky smirk, but it stiffened to a frown.

"I'll fix that." He said with a dip of his head in the direction of her and left as soon as she was untied.

Confusion pulled her from her post coital bliss but he returned before she could get up, carrying a bottle and some cotton swabs.

"Don't have any bandaids or that kind of stuff 'cause, you know... " He trailed off.

She hissed sharply when he dabbed at the mark on her shoulder, mostly from the surprise of the burning.

"Don't worry 'bout it. I have some of your healing, but my skin seems to reject it unless we've recently touched a lot. Guess that's why they normally heal almost emediately. I figure it's an effect of my mutation, the deeper layers of my body heals really good, but the effect on the skin wears off quite quickly."

A darker part of her enjoyed the idea of wearing a mark of his permanently. _I wonder if I could mark him if I drained him enough to stunt his healing for a while?_ She mused. And then something niggled on her mind, grated on her. A thing she didn't really want to know but still couldn't stand to be ignorant of.

"How have you done before? Almost nobody would heal the bites like I do."

He rubbed his neck a little awkwardly and looked away, seemingly debating if he should tell her or not. Rogue's blood was going cold, realizing that she may just have opened a can of worms, considering what she _did_ know about his past. At least what the rumors said.

"I've never done it before. Never had the impulse. With you, I can hardly control it. It's like I have to."

He looked up at her, all hesitation gone. "I'm not even sorry about that." He pointed to the still bleeding mark on her shoulder, his smirk returning. "The animal part of me feels like it's a big 'fuck off' to anyone who wants to touch you."

Rogue snorted. "Well, I guess I kind of already wear your mark anyway." She pointed to the tattoo. "Besides, it's not like I have a line of people waiting to touch me." She ended it on a subdued note.

"That's because everyone else is losers. But that's good for them, I would have to gut them all if they tried." There was both promise and gleeful anticipation in his voice and his eyes flickered with an amber tinge, fangs flashed in that predatory smile.

She was gobsmacked. It should be worrying. She should be offended. And her independence should make her outraged. But all Marie could think was that it was _cute_. In a murderous kind of way. She supposed Sabretooth wasn't really the type to declare his liking with flowers and sweet words.

He bumped his head on her shoulder in a decidedly non-human way and laid down, pulling her with him so she laid with her back pressed against his still clothed chest, his massive arm holding her there and she felt safer than ever before.

"It's kind of your fault that I blew my fuses and flipped my lid today. I beat up a kid at school."

"Really?" She could hear his smirk but then he took on a more serious tone. "What happened? Do I need to gut someone?"

"We we're training to fight and this boy was being nasty to me and he has been that before but my sense of smell is better now that I have absorbed you and I realized that he wasn't just trying to rile me up, he meant every word, and I.." She paused from the rushed rant. "... I think I went feral. I found Magneto's power and threw Wolverine into a wall, well two walls for good measure and cornered the boy and threatened to gut him and that sounds a lot like you by the way."

Sabretooth rumbled a deep laugh against her back and hugged her tighter.

"I loved every second of it. The way he reeked with fear, I felt soo powerful. I should feel bad about it but I don't."

His laugh quieted down to a chuckle but when he answered her he sounded dead serious.

"If someone needs to be gutted, just tell me. Or if I should hold someone down for you"

Rogue snorted at the thought. Because even if she didn't really want anybody dead, the scenario in her head was hilarious. She could practically see Bobby, and any other antagonists, shivver with fear when she told him to say whatever he wanted to say to her man instead, Sabretooth trailing in her wake. _Her_ man? _!_

"As convenient as that might be, I think I'll pass. It would be fun to just scare him a little, though. He actually trash-talked that I can't be touched and nobody wants to anyway. It was on the tip of my tongue to say that Sabretooth is man enough to fuck me."

"Victor. You can call me Victor. To me, in private."

A smile stretched her lips and she turned to glance at him.

"Marie. But if you tell anyone, I'll have to gut 'em."


	6. Chapter 6

"I could kill for anything Ben and Jerry's could offer right now." She blurted.

"Who the fuck are Ben and Jerry?" Victor's growl was lethal and he supported himself on his elbow to lean over her, more than a little intimidating.

"Not exactly a who. It's more of a what."

She looked at him expectantly with a mischievous smile but he just scowled, clearly not getting it. Marie rolled her eyes. Had he been living under a rock? Should she pity him for his lack of experience in everything funny? She let her face fall.

"You haven't seen the Grinch? And the two of you have so much in common." She theatrically put her fingers against her temples.

"Nope. And quit stalling, you still haven't told me who the fuck Ben and Jerry are."

"It's ice cream. Ben & Jerry's is ice cream. _The_ ice cream."

He just grunted but settled in against her again. Marie let her mind wander, feeling his body heat through his clothes. She felt oddly content in a way she hadn't before. Sure, she'd shared the bed with Logan on numerous occasions during their year on the road together but that had been different. They had both been wearing clothes, and there was a blanket between them to make her even remotely relax enough to sleep a little, afraid to hurt him as she'd been. Her crush on him had made her awkward about it, hoping and longing for things that would never be. In hindsight it _was_ a bit weird for a 15 year old to share the bed with a man that much older than her. But if there was only one bed in the room there wasn't many options. The Sabretooth in her head growled at her memories. The version in her head was more animalistic than the one cuddling her, but that seemed to make him less guarded. He was possessive and growly (and sometimes just as lascivious and wicked as the original) but that was because he _cared_. She wondered how much that reflected the real versions thoughts on her. Marie had never gone deeper into how much the personalities in her mind reflected the real life person. She had tried the best she could to compartmentalize and then keep them there. Now she wondered if they changed when they got stuck, or if they evolved after a while. The sounds of the house seemed to grow distant and her body felt heavy as she pondered this.

* * *

She woke up slowly at first but started to full wakefulness when she realized she'd fallen asleep.

"What time is it? Oh my god, they're gonna find out that I've been gone." She practically flew up but Victor grabbed her and pulled her back down.

"Lay down. It's not even two in the morning. You've been out a lot longer than this before."

"Yeah, but that was before I threatened someone with bloody murder! They were practically posting guards outside my door. They might check on me during the night! I didn't even think of that before."

Victor rubbed a soothing hand along her spine and despite herself, she melted into his touch, relaxing slightly.

"Logan is suspicious as hell, bet he'll sniff around my room. Oh God, he'll know I'm gone as soon as he sets foot in the hall!" She was winding up again.

"If the runt give you trouble, tell me. I'll make him wish I'd kill him."

Marie snorted. She wouldn't exactly call Logan a runt but he _was_ shorter and slightly less muscular than Victor. Fleetingly she wondered who would win if it came to a full-blown fight. She had a weird feeling that Victor had been holding back when they fought in the forest those years ago, even though she could see no reason why he'd do that. She didn't want to ask. Not now, when they had just taken a step forward in their relationship. For whatever reason, Victor got pissy every time Wolverine was mentioned. _Won't tell you now_. _Maybe later._ The cat in her head suddenly spoke up. It surprised her that what little emotions she picked up there was mostly hurt and sorrow and not the simple hatred she expected. She turned around in his arms and put an arm and a leg over him, to offer some comfort even if it was for the benefit of the passenger in her mind. From the woodsy corner she had created for him she heard a purr and she smiled into the crook of the neck on the real one.

"I think I can handle him. Just freaked out a little."

Victor hummed in agreement.

"Anyway, I should get going. If I can avoid getting caught, that would probably make it easier the next time I sneak out."

Victor just held her in place at first but then he rolled over onto his back and let her go. He stayed on the bed, putting his hands behind his head, and watched her seeking out her clothes and get dressed. Marie had just finished putting her shoes on when he got up. He came to stand just inches from her and when his fingers surprisingly gently nudged her jaw, she tilted her head away.

"Looks OK." He stroked the bite he'd left.

She flinched slightly, it was still tender. Marie hadn't looked at it yet. She wanted to wait until she got home. Like keeping from opening a gift just to save it for later.

They walked close enough for her to feel the heat from his body but they weren't touching. Marie wanted to huddle up close to him but she didn't dare. She couldn't stand if he rejected it, if he didn't want _that_ kind of contact. The most disconcerting thing though was what she was beginning to feel for him. It was undeniable now. The way she craved to be with him. Not just the sex. There was something else there. Not love, not yet anyway, but she was falling for him. The way she reacted when he'd been possessive about her had opened her eyes to it. And Marie had realized that she was no better: they may have an agreement about having sex that didn't include monogamy but she damned well hoped that he didn't fuck others. And that thought led her back to her growing need to mark him. _Mine_. Echoed through her head and from Sabretooth's space a growly laugh rose. _He_ didn't seem to mind.

"I should get a car." She thought out loud. "It would make this easier."

"You don't have one?"

"Never needed one. I borrow one the few times I do need one. I couldn't use it to sneak out anyway, everyone would see me leaving. Would be nice sometimes, though. To be able to just drive away when I want."

"Get one."

"I don't have that kind of money."

"Hm"

"I think it it's your influence that has me starting to make googly eyes at anything four by four. I never had an interest in cars before. I'd love to cruise around in an old, beat up Jeep Cherokee." She said wistfully.

The corner of Victor's mouth quirked upwards but he stayed silent.

* * *

Her window was closed. Rogue actually climbed up to see if it had just come loose and drifted shut but no, it was latched shut. That meant someone knew she wasn't on the premises. There were no signs of a search party but if it were Jubes who'd found her gone, she'd leave the window open. Maybe call and harass her but definitely leave the window open. Scott, or any of the other adults, would both call her and raise the alarm, waking everyone up. She checked her phone. No missed calls and no messages. That left one person: Wolverine. Her heart started thumping and all her senses were on full alert. First things first, she needed to clean up. Running as fast as she dared, she headed for the woods. There was a small creek that would have to do this time.

The water was very cold on her sweaty skin, the clothes getting heavy and sticky when she rolled around in the stream. Any residual scent, she could probably write off as a side effect of her mutation. She jogged back, calmer now but sopping wet. She had just been out for a run. That's it. If not...

She stopped dead in her tracks. _What if he tracked me?!_ How good was he at tracking? Did he know who picked her up? Had he followed them? When faced with the fact that he might know exactly what she'd done and with whom, she was suddenly bothered. Rogue had told herself that she had gotten over him, that he was nothing but that was a lie. After all they had been through together, of course she still had a soft spot for him. She wasn't really ashamed of being sexually active, and, well Victor was incredibly hot, but he was still one of Wolverine's sore spots.

But if he had tracked her all the way, if Rogue didn't pick up his scent, at least Victor should've. Rogue raised her head and straightened her back. Time to face the music, whatever tune was played. She might have to stand by her actions and defend them tonight or maybe she wouldn't have to. Time would tell. She started walking back to the mansion, apprehensive about what she was coming back to. Wolverine might not even be there.

Pulling off her shoes outside the back door, she yelped when out of nowhere, someone tackled her and pinned her wrists above her head. In her panic, Rogue completely forgot her training, her evolved powers and struggled blindly. The situation reminded her all too much of an incident from before she met Logan, when she learned the hard way that not everyone picking up hitchhikers was doing it to be nice. Her skin had been the only thing that saved her that time.

"No no no, let me go!" She tried to tear her hands loose or land a kick but it was a futile effort.

"Calm down, kid! I ain't gonna hurt ya!" Logan sounded surprised.

She forced herself to still and tilted her head slightly in submission to appease the feral, mindful to show him the side of her neck that wasn't marked. He cocked his head in confusion at the body langue that seemed wrong on her but then he moved and she sat up.

"Geez, I didn't mean to scare ya like that. I just wanted to make sure you didn't get away before I could talk to you."

He sounded apologetic. That might be a good thing for her. Her hope plummeted when he scented her and she rushed an answer to distract him.

"Just got a flashback to something bad." Rogue left it at that. She had never told him much about what happened before she found him and she didn't want to tell him now.

"Where have you been? You're soaked."

"I felt trapped inside. Think I was panicking, I couldn't breathe. So I went out. And the water looked inviting in the moonlight." She smiled faintly, hoping he wouldn't catch the lie. "It was awfully cold, though." She shivered and realized that the wet clothes really was making her freeze.

Wolverine offered his hand and helped her up.

"Let's get you inside. You smell different. I can smell a feral on you." His voice turned growly at the last statement.

"Maybe it's when a mutation I've absorbed is active? I have the instincts and senses kind of activated now. Would be hard running around in the dark otherwise."

It shouldn't be this easy to lie to him. Before Rogue could work herself up about it, her Sabretooth stepped in. He redirected her focus with a snarl, telling her that she should stop being a martyr that everyone could push around and start giving as good as she got. Wolverine didn't hesitate to dump her at school and leave without a word, or not tell her the entire truth and what the fuck did _he_ do when Bobby maligned her? Betrayal took over and it was easy from there. He still gave her a suspicious look but she didn't care.

He followed her to the washroom, apparently unwilling to let her out of his sight. Rogue, being more comfortable in her skin, didn't even think about it before she started pulling her shirt off. Maybe it was that animal side of her that suddenly made her care less about nakedness or maybe it was all her. She couldn't tell.

"Damn it, kid! Just wh... wait."

Rogue stared as he threw himself backwards and out the door, his eyes everywhere but on her. She couldn't help herself, she roared a laugh even though Sabretooth growled in her head. She unapologetically assured him that she hadn't meant to get undressed with an audience, it just happened. Wolverine's reaction was far too funny to not make it worth the displeased snarl from the cat.

"Oops. But I don't think I have anything you haven't already seen elsewhere."

"Whatever, kid. Here. Just..." Logan's shirt came flying in her general direction.

She changed quickly into his shirt, but as she was escorted to her room she wrinkled her nose at the smell. It had always soothed her before but now it was just... wrong. Not the scent she wanted to wear.

"Can you drive me to town tomorrow? My phone was in my pocket and now it's probably fubar."

Logan grunted in a way that reminded her very much of Victor and she just wished she could go back and hide out at his place. Tomorrow would not be fun.

"So, what the hell happened today? In the danger room? And no bullshit, you know that was a whole lot feral and I can smell feral on you now."

"It seems as if the ones I absorbed before I took the cure have returned, more powerful. So, I have both you and..." she hesitated for a fraction of a second before she finished the sentence in a low mumble. "...Sabretooth in me." _But I'm the only one who's really been_ in _you_. Sabretooth leered in her brain and she smothered the grin that pulled on the corners of her mouth.

Logan looked at her, searching her eyes for the truthfulness of her words. He had a doubtful frown on his face but Rogue met his eyes steadily without blinking. It was the truth. Just not all of it. He seemed to find what he needed because he nodded once and turned to leave.

"Don't try to run away again. I'll be watching you."

And that was the promise she didn't want. Marie heard him settle in on the floor in the hallway as she rummaged through her drawers for her old phone. It would have to do for now. In any other circumstance, she wouldn't care if she was without a phone for a few days but now she had to have one. What worried her was that Victor might check in on her, and if she didn't answer she feared that he might come looking for her and she couldn't see _any_ way that was going to end well.

* * *

Ororo was the one to wake her up in the morning. Dressing in a turtlenecked tank top to conceal the bite on her neck, the bite she still hadn't looked at, she followed the unusually quiet woman from her room. Rogue was surprised that she was led to the professor's office rather than the med bay. She sat down on the couch as Ororo quietly shut the door, leaving her alone with the telepath.

"Good morning. Ororo will be here with breakfast for you shortly."

Rogue just nodded in answer, seeing what he was doing. Getting her there directly and serving breakfast was a way to appease her, to take her mind off why she was really there. And the talking out loud was to give her the illusion that he wouldn't break into her head without her consent. She was pretty sure it wasn't an option to decline, though.

"I heard what happened yesterday and I would like to have your permission to enter your mind. I'm just worried that whatever happened might happen again and hurt you or others."

"Go ahead, rummage away." It wasn't like she could do anything about it.

Sabretooth wondered if he should help out to make her head a filthy, dreadful place to be but she waved it off. Then she'd never be let out of sight again. He better keep quiet about what they were up to in their free time. Otherwise she'd revoke his privileges. _You mean my place here or what you allow me to do to you in real life?_ A picture of how she'd looked to him on that rooftop popped into her minds eye. _Cause I'm pretty damn sure you_ wouldn't _want me to stop that..."_ Marie shut him up before the professor would get a chance to catch any of that interaction and tried not let the picture do things to her that wasn't appropriate under the circumstances.

If she hadn't known that the professor was going to check into her mind, she wouldn't have been aware. But now it felt as a minimal pressure and she could feel when he checked her doors and looked through the windows to her cells. Sabretooth rumbled a growl when she felt the professor step into the forest she had created for the cat instead of a cell and like a wraith he came stalking out of the shadows. In the corner of her eye, she saw the professor snap his head around to look at her but she ignored it. The cat in her mind circled the intruder slowly, sizing him up, before dismissively turning and walking away with all the confidence of an apex predator in his own territory. She smiled a little, because for the first time since her mutation manifested, she actually had a freeloader she enjoyed sharing her mind with. He looked like a giant jaguar, except for the oversized fangs and the pitch black eyes. It intrigued her that he had manifested as different kinds of big cats every few times she turned into herself to look instead of just listening to him, as if he was standing behind her talking. It had only been the teeth and eyes that never changed. Until she chose the Jaguar version for her tattoo, the look he seemed to favor. Now he always looked like that.

The pressure stopped and she knew her mind was unsupervised.

"You see, professor. Everything safe and secure. I know I flipped my lid, but Iceman had it a long time coming. It wasn't the first time he was mean to me."

"And you are forgiven for that. I'm just intrigued that you have Sabretooth on the loose in your mind. It's quite a habitat you created for him, unlike the others. Last time it was Logan who had more space. I'm just concerned, since you _did_ display feral traits and Sabretooth is not one I would consider a good influence."

"Sabretooth has done nothing but help me. He isn't mean to me or belittle me, he is protective and has helped me handle the powers I have absorbed as well as issues with my own mutation. The least I can do is return the favor in some way. I mean, he _is_ stuck in my head." She was proud of her way with the words she spoke. It _was_ all true. Just open for interpretation. _Is my moral compass going askew of its own volition or is influenced by Victor?_ She couldn't tell.

The professor seemed to process her words carefully. Ororo arrived with a plate of pancakes for Rogue and tea for the professor and Rogue dug in. She had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time the professor wanted to pay her mind a visit.

* * *

Something was eating at him. A gnawing feeling in his stomach had Victor incapable of focusing on anything. He didn't recognize it but it was highly annoying. Could he be getting sick? Maybe _Marie_ had pulled too much of his powers, leaving him susceptible to germs. But that didn't add up. He had hardly given her any of his energy last night. He thought about what had happened when she got back and that's when he realized what that annoying feeling was. For the first time in a very long time, Victor Creed was worried.

The woman was getting under his skin in a way he hadn't foreseen that night in the bar when he handed her his phone. Truth was, his mind was made up the second her request was out, he had to have her. Just once, he though in the beginning, but he was hooked from the first time he slid into her. At first it was the delicious way her mutation worked, and her willingness to try whatever he threw at her.

Like that collar. Oh, he had no doubt that they'd both enjoy if she was the one to drag him along on a leash, but _he_ wasn't quite ready for that yet. The level of trust needed for that was not something innate to him, nor had he learned anything positive coming from trust during his long and hard life. Yet the way she chose to trust him, nervous as she was, made him all the more protective of her. Somehow it didn't make her seem weak, just brave.

It had been funny as hell when Marie told him about her meltdown, because his little brother surely deserved _that_ ass kicking for not stepping up for her when someone bullied her. And the boy, oh ho ho, he wanted to get his hands on that one. He had no doubt Marie was very capable of taking care of herself. She was powerful and intelligent. But what she lacked in malice, he made up for by the bucket load and that kid needed to learn what true terror meant.

A ripping of fabric pulled him from his musings and he looked down. His lap and the couch looked like a duck had exploded. Without realizing it, he had ripped a pillow, clenching his hands in his anger.

His girl awoke a lot of things in him he hadn't believed he had even been stocked with from the beginning. And she _was_ his. The claiming bite he left on her shoulder didn't evoke any remorse at all, on the contrary it left him with a smug satisfaction.

Marie didn't seem to mind, though. Not just that, she had even marked herself as his in a way. That ink of hers had seriously brought him to a screeching halt, all intentions momentarily forgotten. Victor had never cared much for body modification, not to say that he didn't like it. He just never cared before. But _that_ tattoo? It enhanced her body. Showed off her slender curves and every line of the cat seemed to be made to follow her lines as well as two pieces of a puzzle fit together. And he knew that she must have put in a lot of hours and a substantial amount of pain to get it done. The motive was picked carefully, and to most it would just be a big cat, but to him, it was as obvious as looking in a mirror that it was him.

And that brought him back to the never ending loop in his head, where he worried what had happened to her. He didn't dare contact her yet, in case someone was watching her. But he would. He'd even gotten a burner phone, just in case. And if he didn't get a hold of her, then fuck it all to hell and back if they found out. He wouldn't go _to_ them to find her. He'd go _through_ them.

* * *

More questions, heaps of physical tests and a danger room session later and Marie was sitting on the floor in the shower, exhausted. The steaming hot, pelting water slowly relaxed her frazzled nerves and knotted muscles and she let her mind go blank, fingers slowly massaging her calves. It was less than 24 hours ago _his_ fingers set her skin alight. The unexpected gentleness he'd shown when she was tied up and helpless. Except for the bite, the bite she had enjoyed anyway. The bite that seemed to be something special that he only did to her. She hadn't even had time to look at it between all the commotion last night and her wake up call this morning, forcing her to quickly dress in something that covered it.

Marie got up and turned the water off and stepped out into the steamy bathroom. She opened the door to ventilate and dried herself carefully, mindful of her tattoo and the bite. The bite was still sore. Leaning over the sink to wipe away the moisture covering the mirror and get a better look, she prodded her shoulder with a finger and vinced. There was bruising around the bite itself, indentations of every tooth clearly visible in the formation of scabs. Complete with fangs, it was obvious that it wasn't human teeth that had sliced through her flesh. She wondered if it would scar. _Is it sick to want it to?_ After just a few seconds of hesitation, she started to pick the scabs. It immediately started bleeding and Marie pressed the towel against it as she worked, letting the pain distract her from her mind that wanted to wander to what the day had entailed.

It seemed as they had come to the conclusion that she was ok. That she wouldn't hurt anyone. Logan still hung around her like a sticky shadow but Marie tried her hardest to ignore it. She heard him in the hallway outside her door and irritation flared as she left the bathroom after putting a bunch of bandaids overlapping each other on her shoulder. _Was he going to move in there or what?!_ She dressed in sweatpants and an oversized hoodie and threw herself on the bed, thinking about texting Victor. She didn't want to seem clingy, though. In case she misinterpreted everything he said. Maybe he just didn't want to share her with others, or maybe he just wasn't ready to stop their game for whatever reason. She flicked the remote and turned the TV on, zapping the Chanel's.

She was slowly eating her way through a bag of tortillas, watching Shrek, when her phone vibrated in her pocket.

 _Unknown number. Huh._

"Yep." She was wary.

"'S me. Y'ok?" His voice was gruff and guarded.

"Yeah. Tired. Lot's of people wanting to listen in." She hoped he'd get the point. Logan was still hanging around outside her door and she wasn't sure how good his hearing was. If he could catch what was said on the other end of the line.

There was a long silence.

"I see. Just needed to check in on you. My offer still stands, you know..."

She snorted. "Good to know, and I'm flattered, but no thank you. New phone?"

"Temporary. In case yours was... misplaced."

"I took a swim with mine. Had to dig out the old one."

There was a short laugh on the other end. "Well, you know how to get ahold of me."

"Sure thing, sugar. Take care." It was only partially for show if Logan listened. She really meant it.

"You too." He grunted and then he hung up.

'Thank you for checking on me. Wolverine caught me when I got home, but my little dip got away enough scent to confuse him. Been tested all day in all kinds of ways but it seems like I passed them all. Don't know when I'll be able to sneak away next time. I'll stay in touch, they won't confiscate my phone. Good night'

She quickly sent the text, telling him just a few of the things she wanted to tell him. Marie had no illusions that it would be easy to see him in the near future, but hopefully she could come up with something. She was drifting off when the reply came.

'Night. Don't let the monsters bite.'

She smiled because that was an unexpectedly witty double meaning, considering the mark of his she wore on her skin. Marie didn't think for a second that Sabretooth was stupid, but humour? That _was not the first thing that came to mind._ The man was without a doubt full of surprises. She absentmindedly turned back to the movie, mind occupied by him.


	7. Chapter 7

The heat was unbearable. Not even nightfall brought relief by cooler temperatures and a few days into the heatwave, Rogue decided now was as good a time as ever to take the next step in her slow rebellion against her fully clothed self. From her closet, she grabbed the bag from her shopping trip after she got her ink done. Her nerves jittered when she pulled out the colorful pieces of fabric. This would be the most skin she'd ever flaunted. Before, when she went swimming with the other kids at school, she had always worn full body rashguards. And before her mutation manifested, her mother had made sure she always wore modest swimming suits. This would be the first time ever she wore a bikini. Chosen to accentuate her body art, it was quite revealing, with tied bands on the hips. The rainforest inspired pattern fitted perfectly with the exotic cat gracing her side.

She studied herself in the mirror and found herself quite smashing. _Fuckable._ Her Sabretooth rumbled his approval and she smiled at her reflection. Her self esteem had gotten a lot better, both by obviously being wanted by someone and by not self consciously hiding as much as possible of her skin. She pulled on a huge T-shirt to wear when she walked out to the pool. Rogue knew that she should keep the tattoo out of the sun, but she didn't plan to stay out there very long. Years of covering herself had made her skin a creamy white and she suspected that it wouldn't be long before she'd look more like one of the newly boiled crayfish back home.

A helpful stroke of lady Fate put Logan in a chair in the shade, sipping a Molson and a devilish smirk stretched Rogue's lips. It would make it all the more sweet that he would be here to witness her great liberation.

Rogue swiftly stepped up to the edge of the pool and pulled her T-shirt off, mindful to turn her tattooed side to Logan. She stopped long enough to hear the gasps from all around and Logan's coughs as he choked on his beer. Then she jumped in, reveling in the cool water caressing her bare skin. When she surfaced again, the others that had already been in the pool had increased the distance to her, wary of her. It should be insulting but Rogue found it quite nice to have the extra space. The new, more animalistic, side of her liked the way they were slightly apprehensive. Like all good little prey.

She pulled herself over the edge and sat down on the patio, stretching her legs out and leaning back on her hands to dry up in the sun. _To think that I have missed out on this all this time..._

She glanced around, casually and found Scott staring at Logan with a thunderous expression that made her want to laugh. Logan was transfixed by her, seemingly unaware of the man glaring daggers at him. She smirked and gave him a saucy wink and turned her face to the sun again. The chatter and splashing from the playing children picked up again, everyone having gone quiet and still when she appeared. _Maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal after all._

"Do you really think this is appropriate?"

 _Or maybe it would._

"What do you mean, Scott?"

"You know what I'm talking about, Marie. Wearing that..." He trailed off.

"I wanted to take a dip because, just like everyone else, I'm practically melting. I'm wearing a bikini, just like most of the other girls my age. I think Kitty's is actually more revealing than mine." She looked him straight in the eyes. "Or is Logan's reaction your real problem?"

She felt incredibly smug when he sputtered and she turned her face back to her tanning.

"You've always been so careful and considerate about the others. What has happened to you?"

"Maybe I'm tired of tippy toeing around along the edges of life? Fed up with being the only one who can't do almost anything everyone else can just because I think for both them and myself? Every single one who live here knows about my skin, the skin I can controll a whole lot better now by the way. Isn't it time they start taking some responsibility for their own actions? They don't have to touch me. Besides, it's not like they'll fall down stone dead. They'll get a nasty shock, but that's all. I want to get a tan too."

She was angry. All the pent up emotions she didn't even know she had came rushing to the surface. Scott stared at her but she just stared right back. No remorse, no apologies and no averting her eyes.

"Don't worry, I won't be doing Wolverine."

She whispered it as Scott walked away, low enough to not reach Logan's ears even with his enhanced hearing. Stubbornness had her staying a while longer, even though she felt quite finished with this little upheaval. The Rogue was not going to give the impression that she tucked tail and rolled over as soon as someone scolded her. Not anymore.

* * *

Whenshe was all dried up and satisfied with the reactions, Rogue got up to leave. Logan joined her, trying, and failing, to be discrete about looking at her tattoo. Rogue almost rolled her eyes but caught herself.

"That's quite some ink you have there. Must've hurt a lot. Why'd you do it?"

"Because I can. It's my skin and I can do whatever I want with it."

She found herself getting defensive. _Who the fuck was_ he _to question her decisions?_ But then the brewing anger was defused as suddenly as it started. _If only he knew..._ She bit down on her tongue to stop herself from laughing.

"What the fuck, kid?!"

Logan had straggled behind her and his sudden outburst had her whipping around in confusion. Without thinking, obviously, he touched the scar on her shoulder and the shock had him jumping back, growling in pain. All eyes were on them when he hissed at her, demandingly.

"Who marked you?"

"I don't know what you mean. It's just an old scar." She tried to be evasive. She had known that they might see her scar but hadn't anticipated this reaction.

"Bullshit! That isn't just an old injury, that's something a feral would do if you were fu..." he stopped himself, glancing at their spectators. "Who did that, when and why?"

At this point, Scott had reached them to intervene.

"Inside. Now. This is hardly the place for this discussion." His words were low, spoken through clenched teeth.

In a bout of stubbornness, Rogue crossed her arms and raised a challenging brow.

"Make me."

She jutted her chin out in defiance. Even if they'd go against all things she knew about them, _well maybe not wolverine, he'd do it for sure,_ and tried to wrangle her inside physically, her state of undress made them helpless. She'd knock them to the ground without lifting a finger. For the first time ever, she truly felt powerful and in control despite how exposed she was. She could _choose_ to go with them, but they couldn't _force_ her.

The men stared at her, flabbergasted. Scott's mouth opened and closed several times. Wolverine scowled. Rogue stood her ground.

"Rogue, please come inside. I'd appreciate to talk to you."

Ororo was far more diplomatic than the other two, sensing that the younger woman wouldn't come easily if coercion in any form was in the picture. Still, Rogue made a theatrical pause of hesitation before answering.

"Fine."

Rogue _cho_ se to play along with this. With the T-shirt still in hand, she followed Ororo into the professors office. She wouldn't grant them the comfort of her covering up. It _was_ just skin after all.

"This mark seems important to Logan for some reason. Would you like to elaborate?"

She raised her voice at the question to stop Logan from starting to speak again, silencing him with a pointed look. Ororo was treading carefully. She looked at the scar but from a distance. Rogue noticed that the other woman didn't seem frightened, just mindful of her space.

"I don't know what his deal is. And I can't see how it is any of his business."

"My business?! It's my business because no one else seems to know anything about this kind of marks. Listen here, kid. It's a claiming bite. It screams 'mine' And don't even think about lying, you just don't get a scar like that _there_ in any other way than fucking. If it was from fighting, you'd have more scars."

Rogue wondered if he emphasized on calling her a kid to tell himself that she still was a young, inexperienced girl. She thought about all the ways she wasn't anymore and didn't quite catch her smile as it quirked the corner of her mouth but she managed to turn it into a grimace.

"So, I've been sexually active. I'm not under age, it's not illegal. It was consensual, I enjoyed it and nobody ended up dead. I still can't see how this is any of your business. I mean, it's not like we ever discuss your promiscuity, and _that_ just screams 'issues' to me. For obvious reasons, I can't whore around like you, there are precious few who can handle my peculiarities, but if I get an opportunity to do what everyone else does, I'll take it."

 _That might be some of Sabretooth's choice of words._ Her Sabretooth denied it. _Maybe it was all her._ Scott looked torn between anger and disgust. _Typical bigger brother finding out more about his little sister than he want to think about._ Logan was dumbstruck for a few seconds, but the respite was short.

"That bite is the feral equivalent of slapping a sticker on you that says 'mine'!" Logan ground it out through gritted teeth.

"Aside from you sounding amusingly like a seagull from Finding Nemo, I don't see why this is _your_ problem. Yes, he is a feral, quite the animal actually. Yes, he bit me. No, you're not allowed to judge me."

"So who is the lucky boy?"

Ororo broke in, cutting off whatever Wolverine was going to say and Rogue snorted amusedly. There were lots of things she'd call Victor, boy _not_ being one of them.

"Doesn't matter. Wasn't anything serious. And I was being safe, before you ask. Can we _please_ stop discussing my private life?"

"Of course, honey. I was just worried."

Ororo's voice was soft and she smelled sincere to Rogue. Scott seemed relieved to change the uncomfortable topic. Unlike Wolverine, who was fuming. Rogue was under no illusion that this would be the end of it, not for him at least.

 _You should gut him_. Her Sabretooth managed to snarl gleefully and Rogue nearly laughed out loud. _What's with the gutting thing?_ He shrugged unapologetically. _It's fun. And proves a point more than just snapping the neck._ It should disturb her, at least the fact that she wasn't all that bothered about his words. But it didn't. He was Sabretooth after all. And she found that she just accepted him for who he was, tooth and claw. She shook her head, smiling and earned a strange look from the others.

"Am I free to go?"

"Of course you are."

Ororo motioned to the door with her hand and Rogue made a hasty exit to make sure she'd get away from Wolverine. It was strangely endearing, the way she seemed to be spoken for by that mark alone. But it would raise more questions at some point, because Logan just wasn't the type to give up easily.

* * *

Thefollowing days was calm, suspiciously so. Logan didn't confront her and if he kept an eye on her, he didn't follow her around to the point of bothering her. Marie kept in line to let everything cool off. Her new, more revealing style of clothes didn't come as a shock to everyone anymore. She kept herself in check in the danger room sessions, not training too harshly and breezed through more meetings with the professor, her mental Sabretooth behaving incredibly well every time the professor entered her mind.

And she was bored to tears. Nothing thrilling or exciting to break the monotony. She found herself growing restless, almost longing for a fight to work off some steam. This was new, she'd never been a fighter before. _Maybe it's Victor's influence._ It was getting increasingly difficult to not go all in and really use all her strength in the danger room.

Then she remembered the night when Logan tackled her. She really hadn't been able to get away in her panic. It was disconcerting. In a real dangerous situation, her skin might save her. But she wasn't knife proof and if someone had the same affinity for gutting that Victor had... _Anyone dare do that to you, they'd wish I settled for just guttin' 'em._ HerSabretooth snarled _._ But that wouldn't bring her back. An idea started to take shape, if it was merely stupid or flat out insane, she couldn't tell.

A string of texts later and Sabretooth had set a time to meet up and given her an adress. Butterflies danced in her stomach, because yet again she was stepping out of her comfort zone and into uncharted territory.

With her backpack stuffed with training tights and a tank top, she left with the excuse of going to raid some bookstores. That kind of shopping didn't make Jubilee want to tag along, and going in plain sight made it look less suspicious. Still, she kept a vigilant eye out for anyone following her as she got on the bus.

No cars seemed to tail her, but just to make sure, she jumped off the bus close to the mall and quickly walked back and forth between the stores to really put her scent all over the place.

Crawling out through a smallish window in the ladies room after changing into her other clothes had her questioning if she was losing her mind and going paranoid but her Sabretooth assured her that _it's not paranoia until you have proof there isn't anyone after you._

Another bus ride later and she walked through a run down industrial area, feeling quite nervous. A couple of junkyard dogs had her jumping, appearing at the fence out of nowhere, barking maniacally. Some of the buildings was in such a bad shape it was hard to tell if they were abandoned. The pavement was cracked and on the other side of many of the rusty fences old cars, scrap metal, cardboard boxes and other debris littered the ground.

Checking the GPS on her phone, she found the adress. It was a huge monster of a dilapidated building, probably an old industry or warehouse. The fence around the building was topped with barbwires and she circled the lot to see if there was a hole to crawl through. She almost resigned herself to trying to climb it when she spotted a part that was high enough above ground to allow her to squeeze through. Her pants snagged on a wire that left a rip in the fabric at the back of her thigh.

The building was trickier, she suspected that this would be classified as breaking and entering and though it seemed highly unlikely that law enforcement would care about this place, she still wanted to stay out of sight as much as possible. Slowly making her way around it, she kept hidden by moving between the bushes and small trees that were slowly breaking through the pavement, reclaiming the area. She found a broken window where the boards across the gaping hole hung loose and with a little violence, the noise so loud her heart thundered because _surely someone had to hear that?_ , she got them to fall to the ground.

Every step made scraping sounds on the dirty concrete floors and even her soft and careful steps seemed to make noise enough to wake the dead, echoing through the hallway. Looking through the doors that lined the corridor, she found dressingrooms, a dining hall and storages. It was the perfect setting for a horror movie and her stomach was churning with nerves.

She made it to the end of the corridor, the door creaking when she opened it, and stepped into a huge room. Grooves in the floor and platforms where machinery had once been told her it had been a factory of some sort. It smelled like it had been abandoned for a long time. A bird suddenly making a hurried exit put her heart in her throat and she stopped for long seconds to look around. The dirty windows high up under the ceiling provided some light, but a lot of the room was still covered in darkness, structures left behind casting shadows. Her enhanced vision came in handy but some of it was still too dark for her to see.

Tentatively walking around the room, she focused on trying to hear or see any sign of Sabretooth. It was nerve wracking, not knowing if he was already here or not and what to expect. Her request this time was rather unorthodox and he had been hesitant at first.

The heartbeat behind her was her only warning and she heard it all too late. A gasp made her catch his scent and when she whirled around, he was mere inches from her and she was once again eye to chest with the intimidating form of Sabretooth. He just stood there, smirking dangerously and her heart once again defied the laws of biology and moved to her throat.

"Too easy, little girl."

His grin faded, an unreadable expression taking it's place.

"You _do_ have a lot to learn, but are you absolutely _sure_ about this? I don't go easy, I don't cut slack, and I don't give breaks."

Rogue swallowed hard, because it started to dawn on her exactly what she'd asked him for. Still, she straightened her back, setting her jaw and nodded.

"I happened to find out that I have been let off easy before and that turned out wrong. It has given me a false sense of security, fooling me to believe I can handle situations that I actually can't."

He nodded but his eyes went hard and pitch black.

"What happened?"

Rogue thought about it and weighed the price for spilling. Sabretooth seemed ready to tear a bloody swath through the X-force if he knew.

"Unimportant. But yeah, I'm aware of what I'm getting into, being trained by you. And I asked you because I know I'll be trained by the best. Regardless the price."

Sabretooth seemed to debate something with himself but then his feral grin returned, and she could hardly see anything Victor left in him. He crouched and circled her, seemingly hungry as a leopard ready to jump a gazelle with a broken leg. She tried to brace herself, but the waiting was agonizing.

And then he pounced. Rogue tried rolling away and managed to somewhat get her feet between their bodies. His sheer weight kept her from throwing him off of her but she managed to roll him from on top of her. He just used the momentum, grabbing her wrist, and sent her flying. She landed hard in a groaning heap.

Sabretooth got up and walked over to her, offering his hand.

"Well that was a humiliating disaster." Rogue took his hand and he pulled her to her feet without effort.

"What do they teach you? That was pathetic."

Well, he didn't sugarcoat things.

"That's my point. I thought I was a pretty good fighter."

He snorted and raised a brow.

"Well at least it can only get better from here on." She said indignantly. He was practically laughing at her for fucks sake and she bristled.

"Lesson number one: a good offence is a great defense. The X-dorks might think you should always try to avoid a fight but I don't. Let's try this again. My style."

* * *

Her clothes were torn. One of her shoes was missing. Bruises started to appear and blood was seeping from cuts and scrapes. Every single muscle was aching and silent tears streamed down her face. As much as she had just basically taken a beating from one of the nastiest mutants on the planet, it wasn't the physical pain that made her unable to stop the treacherous trails of salty tears from falling. It was the anger and humiliation. All this time, she'd considered herself an able fighter, a force to be reckoned with. Well, Sabretooth obliterated that illusion. She had learned quickly but even at the end of their session, she still was no match for him. The realization that both Wolverine and Cyclops had let her off easy, had let her win their training fights hurt more than anything because the only reason for this she could come up with was that they considered her weak. A little girl who needed to be protected from knowing that her skills was inadequate.

What made it even worse was that they had inadvertently put her in danger by their actions. She had walked into that bar months ago pretty damned sure that she could handle the situation if it went to hell, if Sabretooth turned out to be hostile. Oh, how wrong she'd been. It was painfully clear now, after having been thrown around and down and out for hours, that she wouldn't have gotten the time to put her hands on him long enough to even stun him slightly. He was damned vicious and this session had solidified her suspicion that he was a better fighter than Wolverine. Faster, stronger, more agile and absolutely feral. Sabretooth was magnificent and terrifying.

Curled in the arms of said man on the dirty, cold floor of the decaying building, she felt safe. She _had_ asked for this, maybe not exactly this way, she hadn't foreseen how far superior he would be, but she shouldn't be surprised. Not really.

He could have killed her so many times she lost count, but he had helped her up, given her comments to improve her techniques and movements and started it all over again. Rogue considered the pain she suffered her penance for being stupid, ignorant and overly bold.

Sabretooth soothingly licked a scratch at her neck.

"I can smell your tears. You asked for this. I warned you."

"I know. And I don't regret it. It's just the lies from the people I trusted that stings."

"Dunno what they're teaching you over there but it's fucking inadequate. You got better in the end though. You're learning quickly."

Despite herself, Rogue smiled at the wry almost-compliment.

"Will you do this to me again?"

Sabretooth nuzzled the mark on her neck, humming in content.

"Yeah. You better learn how to take care of yourself."

His fingers trailed her skin everywhere he could reach and Rogue felt his healing kick in wherever he touched. The numbing of the pain was welcome. He seemed to instinctively know, his fingers surprisingly gentle as he worked the kinks out of her muscles. She melted into his touch, pressing closer to him. She was astonished that even now, after all he had just put her through, he could still set her on fire by touch alone.

* * *

He dropped her off at a hotel, a room waited for her to clean up and change to wash away the evidence of what she'd been up to. She found books on the bed, he had arranged for them to be there, giving her a credible alibi. _How had she not thought of that herself?_ She had so much to learn.

In the cool shower, she thought about him. The enigma of a man called Victor Creed. Just like when she had been tied to his bed, he'd been careful this time. There on the grimy floor of the factory, loose pieces of concrete digging into her back, the air stale and thick of decay and old lubricants, was the closest to making love she'd ever been. As if the seemingly ever impending violence drained out of him during their fight, leaving him more vulnerable, softer somehow. He hadn't bit her this time, just gently lapped at her mark. As if he'd done enough damage to her already. Or maybe now that he had permanently marked her, the compulsion to bite her lessened. She wasn't sure if she was disappointed or relieved.

She dried up, studying herself in the mirror. The bruises and cuts looked a lot better but a lot of them still visible. She had to keep covered up for a while.

After slipping back into the clothes she wore when leaving home, she packed the books in her bag and left the room. He'd told her to go to the reception to get transportation home. The room was already paid for. Giving the smiling woman behind the counter her room number, she was handed a thick envelope. Marie was opening as she walked outside, idly noticing it was a nice hotel.

Inside the envelope was a piece of paper and a set of car keys. Marie pulled them out, gaping. She looked at the note.

'The green Jeep to the right. I would've gotten you a nicer one, but I figured it would raise questions about where you got the money. I had it transported here so my scent won't give you away. I'll be in touch. / V'

It was perfect. Dented, dirty and rusty and fitted with moosebars and extra headlights. Love at first sight. She reverently climbed in, settling into the comfortable leather seat of her own car, throwing her bag at the passenger seat. The V8 rumbled to life, running smoothly and Marie squealed, putting it into gear. Deciding on getting some supplies to clean her new baby, she took the long way home.


	8. Chapter 8

Everything was off. Upside down and inside out. Logan slowly spun the bottle of whiskey, stopping to pick at the label. Marie was changing too damned fast. He'd known her for years but these last months had made him doubt he knew her at all. The quiet girl hadn't just come out of her shell. It was fairly obvious that she had absorbed a feral, even before she rubbed in his face exactly how she had absorbed him. He had picked up faint traces of scent, a scent he had recognized but couldn't place. Marie had been good at removing the smell but still some of it lingered. Her own scent had altered slightly, keeping traces of whoever it was she had been... close to. What bothered him the most was that the scent tickled memories from before. Things he couldn't grasp, still out of reach in his amnesia. Someone he had known.

He wondered if it was someone her own age. If that was the case, he'd known the boy as a youngster. It irked him that she wouldn't tell them who it was. Or maybe he was just jealous, no matter who he was. Their relationship was complicated. Meeting her at the tender age of 15, he had not been able to see her as anything other than maybe a younger sister. He sure as hell wasn't a father figure to her. He would have to be blind not to see how pretty she was, but still too young. A friendship evolved even through his grumpiness and she stuck with him through thick and thin, something he had never quite appreciated as much as he should. She waited for him when he ran, she helped him through his nightmares and listened to him bitching about anything and everything, never demanding anything in return.

And what the hell had _he_ done? He let her down over and over. Chasing after Jean in front of her, even pouring his grief after the professor killed her out to Marie herself. The ever present friend, who listened and consoled him when he wallowed in self-pity over another woman. He never apologized for anything he did, never listened to her problems. Kid zoned her when she was clearly besotted with him. Even as she grew into a young woman, a woman he could have given the gift of touch. But he'd been too blinded by his own denial, his subconscious hope that she would remain the little girl who was the only one he had allowed to befriend him.

But now, he wasn't so sure about what he was to her. His temper had further pushed her away. From that first time he noticed something new about her actions, when she got a text that sent her heart racing. Of course he had suspected it was from a boy. But the implications hadn't really touched him then, the issue of her skin resting like a security blanket over him. Then she slept all morning one day, like she usually did when they were still on the road and they stayed up until early morning, Marie waiting for him to get back from wherever he had spent the evening and night. _More points to her, asshole_. She had just walked up to the barbeque and ate like a horse. No, not a horse. _Like a fucking predator._ And her scent was off. Like she had matured and come into season in just a night.

Then there was her anger. She might have thought that nobody noticed the way she guarded her food that day but he did. _Of course he did, he was a feral for fucks sake._ It was all but bred into him to notice such things.

Like he noticed the smell of her wounds. Oh, she had a good excuse with her new tattoos, he'd give her that. In hindsight, the little ones on her arm wasn't nearly enough to smell like that big of a wound, but he didn't know that when she showed him her arm all wrapped up. And what ink she had! That piece was huge. Why she seemed smug about, he couldn't guess but there was something in the back of his mind, gnawing at him about it, telling him it was more than just a pretty picture.

More things taunted him, just out of reach. Almost like a deja vu. Her snarling flip out in the danger room. There was something about the way she had acted that seemed all too familiar, even though he'd never dreamed about _her_ losing it that badly. To actually see her threaten to kill Iceman in a gruesome way was still beyond his comprehension. He took a couple of deep gulps from the bottle. _Fat lotta good that would do him. Fucking healing._

Then she had disappeared. Of course he'd check in on her after _that_ little display and he had been panicked at first when she was gone. He had burst through her door just to find her window open and that had made him angry. She had just up and ran away, without so much as leaving a bloody note. He tracked her, all the way to the road and then she seemed to vanish into thin air. There _had been_ another scent there, faint traces of that vaguely familiar feral. Probably the one he now knew she had been sleeping with. But it was as if that scent appeared suddenly and briefly just to disappear again. Logan guessed that the other male had driven there, vents closed, and picked her up.

And that was another disturbing revelation. Because if that someone had his vents closed, then he _knew_ of Logan and that he should be able to track them down. That was another point that both worried and angered him. Had Marie told him about Logan and how could she trust him that easily? Or did the feral know anyway because he knew Logan from before?

So he had done the only thing he could. He waited, prowling the grounds for her to get back. Setting a trap for her by closing her window so he could catch her red handed. And he had been furious, about to verbally tear into her, when he smelled her panic. At first it had thrown him for a loop but then he realized what it might feel like for a _girl_ to be taken down like that by an unknown assailant and he internally cursed himself for being a rash, stupid bastard. _Again_. Then she had tipped her head in submission and that had been weird as fuck, coming from her. His animal side was all too happy about it but the man was bewildered.

She seemed to shrug it off quickly but her words didn't go unnoticed. She had never told him of anything like that happening to her. That was another receipt of her mistrust and his lack of being there for her. But he wouldn't pry about _that_. If she wanted to let the past remain in the past then who was he to open old wounds? He knew all too well that the past could haunt you, even if for him it was his lack of knowledge of the past that twisted his dreams to horrifyingly realistic times of terror. It all took the edge off his anger, because he felt guilty about scaring her.

When he really had taken in her soaked form, those faint traces of feral on her skin still lingering his hackles had risen again, though. If he hadn't been neck deep in the swamp of denial, he should have realized just what she had been up to. In hindsight the smell was fairly obvious but then and there it had just been too unlikely. _And she had lied to him!_ It was obvious that she hadn't been running around in the vicinity of the school, he would have picked up her scent straight away. He _knew_ that she had been away with someone. He didn't like it. Even though he had never thought of her that way, he still saw her as his in a way. Maybe that was the reason he had enjoyed seeing her in his shirt when he walked her to her room. It had soothed him enough to wait with the interrogation until morning, that false feeling of everything being back to normal. That plan had been thwarted by all the early birds eager to poke and prod the girl.

Marie's little breakdown in the danger room had upped the ante. He knew he should have stopped the little Iceprick from being an ass but in a stupid way he'd seen something good about it. For the sake of the lesson and, wrongly, for Marie's own sake, he had let it go on. She didn't know the truthfulness of Bobby's words and Logan thought it best that way, taking in account her low self esteem. Selfish bastard that he was, he also hoped it would push Marie away from Iceman without him interfering. How was he to know she all of a sudden had feral senses and knew how to use them?!

He had hounded the professor about how her mind was but the man clammed up instantly. Then he had intended to intercept Marie and question her but Storm had been running an impressive interference. The weather witch actually zapped him with a bolt of lightning to knock some sense into him at one point. So he bided his time, thinking through what he wanted to ask Marie, and how to ask it.

That turned out to be in vain when she turned up at the pool in that teeny, tiny bikini, showing off almost all of her clearly-not-a-little-girl-anymore body that had him going semi hard on the spot. It was the ultimate fuck you to all of them, he just couldn't figure out what they had done to deserve it.

All his inner debating on whether she was still just a little girl or not and what he should do about it came to a screeching halt when he spotted that fucking mark on her shoulder. All his instincts roared to life, as did his anger. It was clear as day to him that she had been claimed by a large, feral male and some pieces slipped into place. That's why she smelled of a feral. And why she suddenly acted like one on occasion. She had absorbed a lot of one. How the hell she had done it without killing someone still confused him. She had better control of her skin indeed, but it still had to be someone with as good healing as his. Or maybe a death wish. The beast in him rearing its ugly head had him confronting her on the spot, all intentions on being careful and friendly with his questions gone. Luckily Scooter intervened because he suspected that feisty Rogue wouldn't forgive him easily if he had outed her personal life in front of a schoolfull of gossiping teenagers. It was a hard pill to swallow, knowing someone was screwing her and probably roughly at that, considering that ferals had a tendency to not be gentle even when they weren't biting enough to break the skin. He scrunched his nose. _Definitely not a picture he wanted in his head_.

Logan flicked the button on the remote absentmindedly, flipping between the channels without really like looking. He drank deeply from the bottle, still without any noticeable effect. _Fucking healing._ It should feel wrong to try to get shitfaced in the early afternoon but he couldn't bring himself to care. She was out again, this time to "go shopping for books." Storm had prevented him, and Scott too, from stalking her. He had been furious but he had to give it to her, the woman had a point. In an uncharacteristic hissing voice she had torn him a new one, telling him how he was effectively pushing Rogue away even more. He tried to convince himself to act as a grown man when the girl in question was to return, not an animal. But thinking it all through made it hard for him to keep his head cool, because it all boiled down to her semi-betrayal by not telling him the full truth.

And so he resorted to drinking. Kind of ironic considering her lashing out at him with accusing him for drinking and fucking his way through life. Yeah, he might have some issues! But that had _nothing_ to do with it. At least that's what he kept on telling himself.

His head whipped around at the sound of an unfamiliar car coming up the driveway. Peering through the window he spotted her in a Jeep he hadn't seen before. He watched her get out and unload a bucket of things and her bag. She ran inside and he stared at the car for a while before his brain kicked into gear. He quickly left, looking for her. This time he wouldn't let Storm get in his way to get some answers.

Marie ran to her room, throwing her bag on the bed and quickly slipping into her rashguard and tights, effectively covering her bruised body. It looked better and better but still not healed enough to allow her to show her skin.

Running down the hall to get out in the open, she realized how ridiculous it was to not even feel safe in the hallways of her own home. But she suspected that Logan wasn't as laid back as he had acted. She had caught him staring more than once and it was just a matter of time before he tried to corner her when nobody else was around, demanding his answers.

She made it back to the car without incident and pulled out the sponges and other stuff she had bought. She was hosing it down when he exited the front door. The second he was outside, she knew. His scent hit her and her heart sped up. _Would he hear that?_ Marie pretended to not notice him coming toward her, scrubbing away.

"Hey kid."

She turned to look at him. Something about him reminded her very much of Victor. He was smaller, and didn't quite move with the same eerie grace, but there were many similarities. Somehow Victor just seemed... _more_.

"Hi." She resumed her work.

"So... new car, huh?"

"Yeah. I think I have earned it. You know, stop being dependent on others like a child." It came out a little sharper than she had intended. He looked at her for long moments as she stubbornly stared at the spot she was washing.

"Sorry 'bout the other day. Totally overreacted."

 _Hm. He was making amends. What was he after? One thing she was sure of: Wolverine_ never _apologized for anything._

"What day do you mean? When you attacked me outside the house or when you yelled at me in front of the entire school?"

She looked at him from the corner of her eyes and quirked a challenging brow. Oh, she was _not_ going to make it easy for him. He grunted and stared at her with narrowed eyes.

"Both. I don't know what I was thinking, jumping you like that. But you ran away and don't you dare giving me some lame lie about running around here. I _know_ you took off with someone."

"Fine, I did. I was out of here, getting my brains fucked out and it was the best thing ever to blow off steam. Wish someone had showed me before, instead of letting me bottle it all up until I snapped."

She stopped working and turned to him, crossing her arms. He was going angry, she saw it in his posture, the clenching of his jaw. Rogue didn't back down.

"Don't you think it would be appropriate to tell someone? Not just sneak out in the middle of the night and meet someone. What if something happened to you? We wouldn't know." He spoke through gritted teeth.

"Well, with the shit you pulled the other day, I'm glad I didn't! I can just see the epic tantrum. Are you this invested in all the girls here and their relationships or is it just me who's not allowed to have one? Newsflash: _you_ were the one to _not_ take my open invitation to whatever you wanted to give me!" Her voice grew louder as she spoke, ending in a shout.

They stared at each other unblinking until he fidgeted. _She won!_ The almighty Wolverine yielded to her?!

Triumphantly, she resumed her work, pulling her sleeves up. It was on the fourth rubbing stroke with the sponge she realized that by pulling up her sleeves, she had exposed all her bruises. Rogue yanked her hands away from the vehicle to cover up.

It was too late. He was on her, grabbing her wrist in a bruising grip, pulling her sleeve further up.

"What the fuck is this?!" He roared and slammed her against the car, pulling at the hem of her shirt, exposing her battered side and ribs.

"Let go of her, you fucking asshole!"

Help came from Jubilee, screaming at the top of her lungs and running toward them. Her voice startled Rogue back from the initial shock and the training of the day set in. She may have been thrown around a lot but it had been worth it, she had picked up a few tricks on the way. She pulled Wolverine a little closer and head-butted him violently on the larynx, since his adamantium covered nose bone would most likely hurt her more than him. He coughed and fell on his ass, because _that,_ he had not seen coming. A cold smile stretched her lips in a way so uncharacteristic that it had his blood turn to ice because there was something familiar about the bloodthirsty rage in her eyes that was distinctly _not_ Marie.

And then Jubilee nailed him in the nuts. Logan curled up and let out a whine. Rogue stared at her pint sized friend turned vicious defender.

"Ain't nobody gonna treat you like that, Chica!" Jubilee heaved.

Marie burst out laughing. She had been very preoccupied these months with learning about her new powers, sneaking around with Victor and her conquering of her own skin but now she realized how much she missed Jubes, her partner in crime, sister for all intents and purposes and her wing girl in life.

"Spot on Jubes, couldn't have done it better myself."

"Damned straight! You know you fight like shit."

And that made her realize how much she truly had changed. It may have been a single training session with Sabretooth, but she was no longer among the worst of them. She had always known she wasn't the best of them, but Sabretooth had shown her exactly how bad she was. But his training was worth the pain. _Rogue_ had been the one to knock the King of the cage on his ass while Jubes kicked him while he was down. Still, the other girl's concern was heartwarming.

Storm and Beast came running for them, equally furious expressions on their faces.

"Logan, what the heck was that?!"

Even as she was angry enough to zap him with lightning, Storm still didn't swear and Rogue quirked her mouth in amused fondness for the normally composed teacher. She thanked the part of her that had gotten harder by absorbing Victor for her new ability to mentally recover so quickly after something like the shit Wolverine just pulled. The old Rogue would still be shaky, almost traumatized, and not be able to se the humor in the other woman's well controlled vocabulary.

Wolverine had gotten to his feet and Rogue could see him winding up again as his healing made the pain ebb away. _Here we go._ She should have drained him, just a bit, to make the pain last longer. It might actually teach him something. _Or not_. She snorted privately.

"She has bruises all over! There's no way she got those shopping for books."

"That still doesn't give you the right to try and tear her clothes off without her consent!" Hank was equally angry.

"Rogue, if you want to press charges, I will support you. This is unacceptable" Storm was calming down, giving Logan a very chilly stare.

"But she's battered!" Logan seemed to give up on yelling at the other teachers mid argument and turned back to Rogue. "Who did that to you kid? You can tell us, we'll protect you if he's forcing himself on you."

Rogue stared at him and then she snorted derisively.

"Ain't no forcing happening, and I doubt you could protect me even with a tazer and a 12 gauge shotgun." She stared at him in challenge. "Considering _I_ just knocked you flat on your ass."

"That amount of bruising isn't normal for consensual... stuff!"

Wolverine was yelling by now and Rogue was having none of it.

"What the hell do you know about normal?! Even if you did know, you'd probably forget it anyway!"

The jab hit home. In the short recess, Hank jumped at the chance to intervene.

"Rogue, could you at least allow me to take a look at you? I won't press you for details, I just want to make sure you're ok.

"I'm fine, but if it makes you feel better... Can I just finish this?"

She trailed off and jumped at the chance to get away.

"Very well, I'll wait here for you."

He dropped down on the ground and studied her as she picked up the sponge again. She had no illusions that he wasn't out to see if he could pick something up from her in her unguarded moment of work but she really didn't mind. He smelled worried and he really shouldn't be.

"Just so you know, I didn't get these in the sack. _I_ do other things with people than just sleeping with them. Unlike you." She couldn't resist the chance to get the final say over Wolverine. It was petty, and she knew it, but it felt to good to pass up on.

Jubilee picked up another sponge and helped her.

"So, you got a dude now? And you didn't tell me?!"

"Yep. It's complicated."

"When is it not?"

"Not like this. He's... mmmh... older. It wasn't serious and I didn't know what to say, honestly."

"Is that why you're covered in tats? And _not_ covered in clothes?"

"Yeah. Got me a big dose of confidence when I absorbed some of him."

"You did _the deed?!_ How does that even work?" Now Jubilee was revving up, eager for details.

"Yeah. He has some healing, kind of like Logan. And I have more control of my skin now."

"So, you're over Logan?"

Rogue hesitated, stopped her rubbing motion over the car and worried her lip. Was she over him? What did she really want?

"I guess so. I don't know. I still like him, it's just not the same. He's hurt me so much. And I don't know what will come out of all this in the end."

From the corner of her eye she saw Logan snap his head around at her comment about him hurting her. She had tuned out the hushed argument between Storm and him, not really wanting to know. She hoped that she'd dodge the bullet by agreeing with Hank to a medical check.

"So how was the sex?"

 _Aaand Jubes was back._ She stage whispered the question, all giddy excitement at being the first to this tasty morsel of gossip. Rogue glanced over at Hank, who seemed to be staring anywhere but at the girls right now.

"He's an animal, it's amazing. He has no inhibitions what so ever. I guess it's good to have someone experienced. No fumbling or insecurities and that particular man is just raw _power._ And his body, oh my Lord..."

"Is he big?"

"Jubilation Lee!" Marie blushed in a sudden rush of her old shyness.

"Whaat?! A girl's gotta know!"

"Well, I can't really compare since he's the only one I've been with, but yeah!"

Jubilee grinned like a loon and Marie grinned back, happy to have her friend back.

She sat on the chair in Hank's office, feeling incredibly bare without her shirt. He looked at her with a concerned frown.

"This _is_ extensive bruising. You must be very sore."

"Some tenderness at the worst places, nothing life threatening."

"The bruising looks far more healed than the superficial cuts and scrapes. Do you have any idea about how that has happened. The bruises seems days old."

"I think my skin counteracts some of the healing factor I have absorbed. But I don't know, I'm not a doctor."

Hank nodded once and with her consent, he poked and prodded her, asked her hundreds of questions about how she noticed her healing and when not, if she felt different mentally (really a disguised question if she was _ok?!)_ her senses and so on and so forth. Marie acknowledged that this was turning into an almost everyday thing for her, at least since she met Victor. She dutifully answered the questions as good as she could, not really leaving anything out and Hank was smart enough to accept her vague description of an adrenaline-junkie-kind-of-paintball-thingy as an explanation for her bruises and not push her even if he looked sceptical. She was, yet again, scheduled for an appointment with the professor and he left the brain-prodding to him.

Marie slipped out of his office to his mutterings to himself as he stared intently at the screen of the scanner, studying the samples she'd left. The last thing she heard as the door slid shut was him whispering "fascinating!"


	9. Chapter 9

In spite of all the big talk, he had cut her some slack. Of course he had, otherwise he would have mauled her on the spot. But the breaks he gave her was only in the form of not throwing her full force, not beating her as hard as he could and not tearing her apart with his teeth and claws. He was surprised how easy it was to stop himself from tearing into her, even as he tasted blood. He didn't feel bad for hurting her some, it was part of the lesson and she had asked him for it. Victor firmly believed that you learn quicker if you know what you are trying to avoid and he knew for a fact that if he hadn't been so rough, he wouldn't be able to fight as good as he did and she wouldn't learn as much.

She was a good student, learning quickly and after this one session, she was a better fighter for it. Her little meltdown afterwards had been concerning at first but her reasons for it was understandable. Unlike him, who had already been betrayed by the few people he had ever cared about and didn't trust anyone anymore, she was young and trusted easily. Way too easily for his comfort.

And that was why he agreed to train her. She needed to be able to keep herself safe. That she learned to not trust even the people around her was just a bonus to him. Even though her easy trust was the reason he had her. To think about her walking into that bar, looking for him, being this bad a fighter... it turned his stomach. What other situations had she walked into, endangering herself? If his amnesiac brother ever decided to remember him, he would have to beat him to a pulp to get into that thick skull of his that you don't let sweet and naive girls run around thinking they can handle stuff the clearly can't.

The uncomfortable feeling of unease wouldn't let go of him. She was alone in that school now, without him to protect her from the snooping X-geeks. It was a strange thing to care again, it had taken him a long time to realize that he did. A stubborn thought passed his mind once again. He should take her away from there. It was tempting to just grab her and go, but he suspected that wouldn't go down well with his little hellcat. It would be a huge leap in their relationship, but maybe not in the right direction. Victor didn't have much experience with these things, but even he could see that declaring that you want someone to be a permanent fixture in your life by kidnapping wasn't a great plan.

Clueless as he was, his strong animal side provided a solution. He was going to show her that he was a suitable mate by providing. The car had been the first step, he realized, even if he hadn't thought about it that way when he gave it to her. Now he just had to come up with more ways to show her what he wanted her to see.

* * *

To have Jubes back was nice. They spent all evening catching up in Marie's room, Marie fending off questions about Victor as good as she could. It made her think. When Jubilee had left, she laid on her back at her bed, pondering her situation. She came to the decision that she had to finally finish this thing with Logan, because she could not live like this. But what answers could she give? Had it been any other man she was dating, she would've brought him home and Bob's your uncle.

But this was Sabretooth. How do you explain to everyone in general and Wolverine in particular that 'hey, guess who I'm bumping pelvis with?' But maybe she could, calmly for once, talk to Logan and make him see reason. That he had no right to interfere with her life.

But what was truly troublesome was the fact that she didn't want to sneak around anymore. She wanted to show off her feral and state to the world the he is mine. It was tiresome, especially now that the cat wasn't quite out of the bag yet, but peeking out at least. Now that it was well known that she had been with someone, even though she always used past tense when she spoke about it to ward off curiosity, it wasn't a huge step for everyone to realize that she was still in a relationship. Sort of. Whatever it was they had. Marie found herself wanting much more. Like right now. To curl up next to him, eating ice cream and watching the movies he clearly hadn't seen.

He sure had some similarities to Logan. None of them were well versed in things people did for fun. Or maybe they just really thought it was more fun with violence than a comedy. They were both grumpy (at best) and then there was the mutation. Marie wondered, for the first time, how old they were. She had never cared before, but considering what she knew about Logan, it seemed likely that Victor could be at least as old as him. And nobody knew how old Logan was. She had never thought about the lack of information on Sabretooth's age in his file, not really caring, but now it seemed curious. It had to mean that no one knew. With his healing easily matching Logan's, it was probable that he was indeed very old. Do I have a old dude kink?

She frowned slightly. It was highly unusual that two people had mutations that similar. In fact, the only two other mutants she knew that shared gifts was the identical twins that both could make things they held invisible. Then there was the brothers, Perry and Chris, who had a closely related mutation but not identical. They were both magnetic, but seemed to be opposite poles. They were nigh inseparable and as a team they would be very powerful one day.

Marie sharpened her focus from her trailing thoughts. What if Victor and Logan was related. It would explain some of the animosity, even though she suspected that Logan was oblivious. Her heart was racing incredibly fast. Would it really change anything? Probably not. Was she dying to know? Hell yeah!

It would explain so much. Their similar appearance. Their way with words. Or more their lack of. She wondered how much the amnesia had changed Logan. Marie couldn't imagine Victor sulking around in a camper for years on end, he was far too driven. Maybe Logan had been too.

But surely she was getting ahead of herself. There were a lot of things pointing to this conclusion. But there was no way to know. Unless... If Hank had files on DNA samples from them both in his computers, she might be able to snatch them. Get someone to look at them. But how could she get them. She needed a plan. And excuses. Because this just wouldn't let her go.

* * *

So she ended up back in Hank's med bay, twitchily awaiting answers from the last tests and gathering courage to ask her questions.

"It really is fascinating, the way your body has taken to this mutation. I see a difference on a cellular level that your skin is indeed slower to heal, but it is still healing quicker than anyone I know except Logan. How do the bruises look?"

In answer Marie pulled up the sleeves of her shirt and exposed arms with just small remnants of discoloration, most of it gone."

"Incredible. Your body seems to have made this mutation it's own, seamlessly working with it, not like a borrowed tool. Now, I did some cross testing with the data I have on Logan and there are a lot of similarities but also differences in your genome. It really is interesting: your body has integrated this mutation into it's DNA coding, truly making it a part of your own body."

"Have you cross referenced with Sabretooth? If you have his DNA, I mean. I did absorbe some of him back in the statue of liberty."

"No, I didn't even think about that. I most certainly will look into that. I think I have it on file, someone might have gotten a swab sometime. I doubt anyone has gotten close enough to actually get a sample of hair or something like that."

Marie almost snorted. If only they knew...

"So, what now? How will this affect me, except for obviously healing faster when I get a little banged up?"

"I don't really know yet, it is still such a new knowledge. I will keep testing the samples you have given me. It's probable that you will take on similar traits of Logan: quick healing, rarely getting sick, if at all... maybe slower aging. Time and more tests is the only thing that will tell."

She nodded slowly and stood from her seat.

"Please tell me of any new findings. I feel a little anxious about what is happening in my body."

"Of course, Marie. I will inform you as soon as I find anything new at all."

Plan set in motion, she left the good doctor to his research, hoping that she could find a way to snatch those files. If he had any on Victor.

* * *

The feral had invited her to a cabin out in the forest, far from prying eyes. Marie had quickly realized how incredibly valuable it was to have Jubilee on her side, because her normally nosy friend seemed to get that the need for secrecy was deeper than just Marie being shy. Without too much questions, though Marie had been forced to promise that she would spill all the juicy details when she got back, she made up a cover story and promised to create a distraction from the fact that Marie was missing again.

Excitement hummed through her entire body as she steered her beloved car on roads that really were no more than a trail for cars. After miles on end of everything looking the same, she started wondering if she had taken a wrong turn somewhere but she pushed on. No use in turning back yet, she wouldn't know where she should have gone anyway.

And it was about then she spotted the house. It was not as small as she had pictured it, but well hidden amoung the trees with it's wood exterior. On one side, Victor's pick up was parked. She parked next to it, getting out and taking in the surroundings. It was really beautiful. The sun filtered through the trees, ferns making it feel free and lush. The ground was soft under her feet and the only thing she heard was birds and a stream somewhere close by.

Victor rounded the corner, a small smirk curling the corners of his mouth. He seemed so relaxed and Marie's heart did a double flip when she saw him. He probably heard that, his smirk widened. In camouflage cargos and a dark green T-shirt he looked at least as home in this environment as any of the animals inhabiting the surrounding woods. She found herself ogling him.

"I have the barbeque going, but it'll be a while until it's done. I thought we could play a game in the meantime."

"Okay? What game?" She was confused but curious.

His smirk grew into that crocodile smile, predatory amusement bordering on cruelty, and her heart flipped but she wasn't afraid, just curious. She couldn't pinpoint when it had happened, but she realized that she trusted him completely.

Victor stopped, crossing his arms, and sized her up.

"I'll give you ten minutes head start." He said.

She stared, dumbfounded. What?

"The clock is ticking..."

He crouched, cocked his head in a decidedly animalistic gesture and nodded slightly to the forest. His voice was low and growly when he uttered a single word.

"Run."

And then it clicked. She made a small squeal and took off at her top speed when she realized it was a Sabretooth and mouse game, her heart throbbing in thrill. Whatever his motives: training her, just his idea of fun or something else, it ignited her entire body with nervefraying excitement. It reminded her of that thought in the beginning when she wondered what it would be like to get hunted by him and if she wanted to get caught or not. Now, there was no doubt though. She wanted him to catch her. But she would damned well make him work for it.

Smothering a peel of laughter, she threw her shoes away, allowing her to move quieter on the soft ground and she slowed down marginally to give her a better chance to avoid dry sticks and other things that would make sounds as she hurried between the tall trees.

A small stream cut through her path and she jumped in, swimming downstream under the surface to try to throw him off her trail. Rogue had no illusions that it would be enough to stop Sabretooth but it might slow him down. But what should she do for an endgame? Should she keep running until eventually he did catch her or should she try to get enough distance to try to get him into some sort of trap? Offence as defense as he had put it.

A foul smell stopped her, the remains of a deer purifying in the heat. That part of her that had turned feral wasn't as disgusted as the rest of her. It could help to mask her scent. Instinct supplied her helpfully. Rogue shifted from foot to foot for long, indecisive moments.

Sabretooth would probably follow her here, realize what she'd done and keep tracking her. Her human side won out, because eew.

She flung herself toward a sapling, grabbing it and changing direction with her momentum to make her trail harder to follow. Maybe she could climb a tree? But he'd find it emediately. A smile stretched her lips when an idea took hold. She was getting better at this. Now, if she could just disperse her scent more thoroughly...

"***

Victor smiled approvingly as he followed the stream. She wasn't all bad at this. If he'd been a tracking dog without the advantage of logical thinking and completely oriented by his sense of smell, he'd probably be thrown off her trail here.

He wasn't, though, but it slowed him down when he had to find where she got out of the water. Clever girl. He hadn't taught her this, it was all her own tricks. With more training, she'd be really good. A worthy mate.

He stopped briefly by the carcass. She had stopped here too, probably thinking about covering her scent. She had opted out, though. Yet another clever move, it wouldn't do her any good when he was already on her trail. It was a good sign that she had considered it.

He kept on following, her scent leading him to more bushy trees. Everything smelled of her. He frowned. He was pretty certain that she was here somewhere, but all the trees smelled like she basically had been trying to make out with them and her tracks crisscrossed everywhere. What are you up to, little girl?

He started by circling the area to make sure she wasn't just making a distraction to slow him down but he found no other tracks. Slowly he started to search the area, scenting and visually checking every tree.

And then something landed heavily on the back of his shoulders, slamming him to the ground and all his fighting instincts went haywire. He bucked the attacker off, but it grabbed his wrist as he was getting up, heaving him off balance and rolling him on top, feet braced on the small of his back and flung him to crash against the ground again.

When he got up this time, he spotted her for the first time and the triumphant glee in her eyes almost made him laugh. Rogue was nowhere close to winning this encounter but just the things she had just managed must be a victory to her. She crouched again and he mimicked her stance as she moved closer.

They clashed swiftly, but just when he thought she was going to just crash into him head on, she grabbed his shoulder and swung around to land on his back like some kind of spidermonkey. Sabretooth hissed when her sharp fangs dug into his shoulder, that was unexpected.

Before he could get her off his back, she dropped to the ground behind him, slamming into the back of his legs and he actually lost his balance. The landing flat on his back momentarily knocked the air from his lungs and she quickly moved away, not taking her eyes off of him.

He rolled to his side slowly, pretending to still be affected by the fall and then, quick as a rattlesnake, he grabbed her ankle.

Rogue squeaked and fell and he was on top of her before she could process what had happened. Pinning her wrists above her head with his hands, he pressed his hips down into hers with a grunt.

The girl gasped and her legs wrapped around his hips, pulling him closer and he ground his already hard cock into her rapidly heating core. The air filled with her heady scent of arousal and he nipped her neck.

"Not bad, little girl. Not bad at all."

He licked her neck where he just had left tiny marks on her skin and she groaned, wriggling her hips to get some friction. He smiled against her skin.

"And thank you for not rolling around in that carcass. I'm not the squeamish type, but the smell of you needing me to fuck you is way more pleasurable."

She blushed. He was amazed that she still could be embarrassed by anything he said after everything he'd done to her. Things most women would balk at. But not his little hellcat.

"You ran good, and the trap wasn't bad but I won. And I plan to claim my prize." He growled, earning a shivver.

She bucked up under him, rutting against him through their clothes like a mindless animal and he didn't have a single objection against her needy mewls. As soon as he released her wrists, she tore his shirt, sharp nails slicing through the fabric and he chuckled when she started squirming, trying to move.

"So demanding."

He lifted himself marginally, to give her room for whatever she was trying to achieve and rumbled a pleased growl when she flipped over on her stomach, trying to push up on all fours. Sabretooth pulled her pants down as far as he could and got his own open with a frustrated snarl. Plunging straight into her to the hilt, he groaned as her wet heat surrounded him, stilling for a moment.

Rogue would have none of that, though, rocking forward and pushing back to force him to start moving. He growled and bit down on his mark. Know your place!

She stilled, but with a growl of her own. No!

He rumbled approval. He didn't want her weak and submissive. There should always be strength, always resistance. He rewarded her by slowly starting to move, snaking an arm around her to tease her sensitive bud and she arched and moaned with his expert touches. He knew her so well.

Her hips and jerked as she rapidly climbed toward climax and he started rutting into her like a mindless beast. Her release was sudden, he wasn't aware that she had been that close but as soon as she came down from her peak she flipped him.

He didn't see it coming. Her leg came up to hook over his hip and she twisted, fast and fluid like a snake and he lost balance. She turned and sank down on top of him, sliding down onto his cock. There was no way her hands pinning his arms could physically hold him, but he allowed her. She had put him on his back after all.

Rogue rode him hard and fast, quickly building to a new peak and he watched her, beautiful as ever. Her face was flushed, mouth slightly open and hooded eyes, glazed by pleasure and it was perfectly framed by the trees and glimpses of the sky above them. As she came, she pulled him with her and when she dug her teeth into the curve of his neck, he roared in pain and pleasure.

Panting hard, he felt the trickles of blood from her bite and she gingerly placed a hand over the wound. He felt the pull of her skin and he looked at her from the corner of his eyes.

"Please, let me? I don't know if it will work. I want to mark you too." She looked pleading.

He just grinned and nodded once, letting his head fall back down to the ground. He was soon nodding off, content to lie curled with her in what really was his element. He almost startled when she spoke.

"What do you have on the barbeque?"

"Deer. Caught it myself."

"Sounds delicious, I'm so hungry."

The beast in him was rumbling happily. She wanted what he provided.

"I don't want to let go of this, though. Not yet." She patted his neck.

"I'll carry you."

He fixed their clothes as good as possible and gathered her light form in his arms, grinning at her giggles.


	10. Chapter 10

A.n./ First of all: thank you(!) All my lovely reviewers and subscribers! Thank you for bearing with me through the time this chapter took to write.

Without further ado: on with the show!

* * *

Victor was laughing his ass off. He licked the spoon he was currently hefting like a shovel between the carton and his mouth. Apparently his little hellcat had caught on to his idea about providing for one's mate. He'd come home to his apartment to find a bag outside the door. At first sight it had made him wary, but as soon as he caught her scent on it, he relaxed. Once inside, he opened it to find a cooler filled with different kinds of ice cream and a variety of movies.

He had never been the kind to actually care about cartoons. When Victor was young, there wasn't any and later it had just seemed a ridiculous waste of time. But now, indulging in a cartoon marathon complete with chain eating ice cream, he was indeed having a blast. He'd give it to the girl, she had nothing if not humor. The only thing that could have made it better was if she had been there.

It would be typical of him to become impatient but surprisingly he enjoyed the slow hunt. The trip to the cabin had been an excellent idea. He had greatly enjoyed her marking him and this gift from her showed him that she was answering his courting exactly as he had planned. He would bide his time, slowly creeping closer and closer and avoid pressuring her into bolting. If he played his cards right, she would come to him and follow him willingly. X-geeks be damned! What they would do then, he hadn't planned. She probably would want him to get out of the torture and killing business. Being around her had greatly reduced his need for violence, but he wasn't quite ready to quit. They would work something out, he was sure of it.

Then there was the issue of his brother. Her friendship with the runt was strained at best right now and if he could work her fast enough it might even become a non-issue. But he couldn't count on that to be the case. He had to figure out how much to tell her. If Logan still didn't remember who he was, would it really make a difference to tell her? Would she gain anything from knowing that?

It would be a good idea to ask her a few questions about it the next time he saw her. The more he knew about the status of his brother's amnesia, the easier it would be to come up with a plan. And then he might get a better idea of what Marie wanted from their friendship in the future. Victor wasn't entirely against the idea of her staying friends with the Wolverine, but then the idiot had to accept that she was already taken. He could even reach so far as not gloating about it. Much.

* * *

Marie was procrastinating. That oh so necessary talk with Logan was postponed over and over. She told herself that she was waiting for an opportunity to snatch those files from Hank but if she was going to be completely honest with herself, she was just chickening out. But she was starting to feel like she needed to move everything along.

That's why she found herself outside Hank's office once again. She knocked with a slight tremble to her hand and a steadying breath, and upon his answer, she entered.

"Oh, hello Marie. I have made some interesting progress, thanks to you."

"Really? I mean that's great. What have you found?" Her voice sounded off in her own ears.

"I still have a lot of work left to do, but I can tell you that you have more changes in your DNA matching Sabretooth than Wolverine. That might actually explain why you had such a hard time controlling your temper and your animal side."

Marie bristled. The presumption that Sabretooth was just a dumb animal. She had to remind herself that the only way the others knew him was through that _persona_ of his. The picture, that he had clearly cultivated with care, of a dumb brute in animal furs, hardly more than an animal himself. Beside a sadistic love for violence.

"Well, we don't really know much about him..." She trailed off. _Don't go there_. She reminded herself. "Besides, I can testify that Wolverine isn't exactly the picture of perfect self-control."

"Right. I'm sorry about what you have endured."

She waved her hand. Off topic.

"Look here, I'll show you. This is quite fascinating."

Marie joined him by the computer screen as he pulled up two files. One with her DNA sequence compared to Sabretooth's and the other with hers compared to Wolverine's. She couldn't explain why she was relieved that Hank didn't seem to have gotten the idea to match the ferals to each other. It hardly mattered to her situation. But something told her that she should be the one to know first. Maybe it was just greed. She stared at the screen. So close now.

Hank explained with excitement and Marie listened with half an ear, because frankly, she understood about one sixth of what he was saying.

"Can I have copies of those pictures? It's so interesting."

Marie struggled to keep her heart rate, breathing and voice steady. Hank would pick up on her nerves straight away. He was a feral, after all. He looked at her for a second that dragged on.

"Oh, yes. Absolutely! And don't worry, I'll keep working on this to gather as much information as possible about how this impacts you."

"Don't overwork yourself."

Her relieved little smile had nothing to do with him working to give her answers about her own mutation, or concern for him but Hank took it as such and Marie was thankful for that misdirection.

"Thank you for your concern." He gave her a USB stick with the sequences and Marie left his office.

Now she had to find someone who could compare the data and, fortunately, she had an acquaintance in a CSI lab. A mutant they had worked with a couple of times before. Hopefully he would be able to help her discreetly.

* * *

"So. When are you going to talk to Wolverine?" Jubilee asked between bites of her fries.

"Don't know. But I have to do it soon. I just don't know what to tell him." Marie evaded. She was really waiting for the results of the DNA comparison.

"Can't you just say that you are not interested anymore? If you're not..."

"I guess. But I'm not even sure about what I have with..." She trailed off, still not knowing what she should call Victor. _Did she need a codename for him?_

"I know he hurt you, but do you really think it's OK to string him along? To kind of have him as a backup plan..."

The question wasn't asked with any judgement but it bit nonetheless, because it made Marie realize that what she was doing was even worse than what Logan had done to her. If he had suddenly developed an interest in her. It really seemed like it was time to clear the air, at least some. And definitely time to make up her mind. She needed to have a good, long talk with Victor too. The awkwardness and heavy tasks seemed to pile up on her.

"No. I haven't even thought of it that way. But you are right. I need to put things straight. Even if I lose him as a friend."

As she put it in words, Marie realized that her biggest problem was that she still wanted him in her life. Just not the same way she had wanted before. If Logan and Victor were actually related...well, that opened up opportunities to keep it that way but also a whole different can of worms.

"In the end, I think you can't lose him for good. You both are too close for that to happen. I just don't want to see any of you hurt. I do like you both a lot." Jubes was unusually serious.

"Thanks Jubilee. I like you too."

"Even though you won't tell me _anything_ about the guy who can twist the untouchable girl around his little finger!" And regular Jubes was back.

"Hey! I told you it's complicated! I... I think he's kinda... courting me?" Marie was still a young and inexperienced woman and she needed input from her girlfriend, dammit!

"Courting?"

"Well he _is_ a feral. He kind of...I don't know, shows off."

Jubilee looked intrigued, on the verge of gleeful. "Oh, do go on, chica!"

"It's like, he shows me his assets." Marie glared at her friend who was about to leer something about the behind of her feral. "Places he lives, he has several, hunted a deer and barbecued it to make me a good meal."

"Uhu." Jubilee looked thoughtful. "Isn't that just bragging?"

"I don't think so. To me, it feels like he's trying to show me that he's a good mate." Marie felt sheepish and felt her blush spread. "With my enhanced feral traits."

Jubilee looked thoughtful and Marie hoped that the interrogation would stop there.

"So, this might be really serious. Then why don't you just introduce the guy to everyone and be done with it? If it all goes to hell, then it isn't like anybody expects you to get married or something yet anyway." Jubilee was actually making a lot of sense. From her point of view.

"He and Logan has some kind of bad history. I don't know. And he's... not really a 'socially acceptable' kind of man in our crowd. Sort of." Marie knew she was crawling on _very_ thin ice.

Jubilee looked scandalized. "If he's good enough for you, then he should be good enough for everyone else. I got your back, chica!"

Marie squirmed. It was nice to hear, but that might change with revealing exactly who she was seeing.

"I got your back!" Jubes growled with conviction.

Marie decided to leave it at that.

* * *

Marie lifted her hand and hesitated. She turned to leave but froze. Turned back to stare at the door, still trying to muster up the courage.

Victor and Logan were brothers. Without a doubt. She wouldn't tell Logan, and she still hadn't asked Victor about it, but something had to be done. A deep breath to center herself and she knocked the door.

Logan tore it open in that trademark what-the-actual-fuck-are-you-doing-here?! way. Marie flinched but the notoriously sullen Canadian stepped back to let her in. He motioned to his bed, where she mostly sat or laid when she was in here. Normally, it was soothing, her own spot in the Wolverine's lair where she spent time watching movies and relaxing or being quietly supportive when he had a 'Logan moment'. Now it felt more like waiting for her own execution.

She sat down, hesitantly. Logan slumped into his chair, his ever present bottle of whiskey in his hand. He always did drink too much, not that it mattered with his mutation. And he didn't get the effect he wanted anyway. She probably could help him with that, if she pulled energy from him, he might actually get drunk. _That might be interesting._ Marie shook herself mentally.

"We do need to talk. And I need you to listen. Like, properly." Marie hated the way she managed to sound like the kid he still saw.

"I guess." He grunted. Never one to admit his own shortcomings.

"I still love you, in a way. You're the closest friend I've ever had. I still want you in my life."

"And I'll never leave! I told you I would take care of you."

"I appreciate that. But you need to back off. I think you've made it abundantly clear that you will never see me the way I want you to see me. And that made you lose all claims on me."

There was a surprised silence.

"I couldn't see you as anything else! You were to young! An then stuff came up..." Logan was angry now.

"Stuff being Jean. The already taken, evil woman you rubbed in my face over and over. I was never good enough for you and I was kept certain about it." Marie spoke through clenched teeth, long suppressed feelings aching to get out.

"It wasn't about that, never about you not being good enough. I refuse to let you make me the bad guy because I'm not a pedophile!" Logan's voice was increasing in volume.

"But I _grew up!_ I'm not a little girl with a crush anymore. But you never saw me. Until I found someone else."

"I was grieving!"

"You don't think I know?! How many nights didn't I spend on this very bed, patiently listening to you crying your eyes out over her? Wasn't I behaving grown up way beyond my years then? Didn't I when I cleaned your clothes and your wounds and waited up late in a motelroom while you were out fighting? Or when I made sure you ate regularly and somewhat healthy all that time we spent on the road? Wasn't I basically your perfect girlfriend, just without being physical?" Marie blinked furiously, trying to press back the tears threatening to spill.

"Oh, honey..." All the angry tension bled out of Wolverine's body. He reached for her, but Marie got up from his bed, moving away.

"It doesn't matter now. I think I have proven myself over and over but you never saw it. You took me for granted. I waited for you but I'm tired of waiting, Logan. You had your chance. I have something new, something good. I won't have you destroying it. I truly hope you can accept this because I still want you in my life. As a friend. But if you can't, I will be forced to go." She sounded so old and tired, worn out.

"I..." Logan exhaled sharply. "I'll try. I don't want you to leave. But this is hard. I woke up too late, didn't realise what you mean to me until you were..." He trailed off.

"You make it work then. I would be sad and regretful to walk out that door but I would do it without hesitation."

It was the harshest things that had ever left her mouth. But it was necessary, she'd laid down the law and fully intended to follow through. No more last chances. No matter what awaited if she left, if it all went to hell, at least she could always look back at her life and feel like she did what she believed in.

"You know, it would feel better if I knew the dude I'll be silently hating." He glowered.

Rogue snorted. "I'm not sure that's really a good idea." _Hell no, Wolverine definitely would not be feeling any better if he knew who she was seeing._ "I don't think that is anyone's business until I decide that it's official." She said out loud. Diplomacy 'n all...

"How can I keep you safe if I don't know?"

"Start by not going easy on me when we spar. You know, I could put myself in real danger if I'm led to believe that I'm a better fighter than I am in reality. Or how about stopping those bullying me when you know it isn't just goading for the sake of a training fight."

He actually looked ashamed. "Well, I figured it was better for you to believe that he was just messing with you, that if you thought he didn't mean it your confidence wouldn't take a hit."

Marie's face fell. "Oh, ghee. Thanks for sticking up for me and considering me strong enough to handle a dimwitted asshole. Newsflash, genius: you could've supported me through to strengthen me. Or offer to gut him, or hold him while I did it myself. _Any-fucking-thing!"_ The harsh sarcasm sounded odd even to her own ears. Was she getting bitter? _Not the point!_ she told herself.

Logan stared at her in disbelief, but she couldn't tell what confused him the most. There was too many new layers to her and to much dont-give-a-fuck in her new repertoire.

"What happened to you? You weren't like this before. Mouthy. Bloodthirsty. Angry."

She couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. _Seriously_?!

"Life happened. Have you not heard a single fucking thing I just told you? Isn't that enough to justify my anger? You're testing my patience, Logan."

"I heard you. But there is anger and there is turning from a quiet, shy girl to frothing at the mouth. I know you're partially feral but not all ferals are this...snappy."

She sneered at him. "Well, I have absorbed you, for one..."

"That's not all though. How is the bas...boy you're seeing? Does he have a bad temper too?"

Marie snorted and Logan scowled at the reaction.

"That's one way to put it. I'm perfectly safe with him, though. In fact, I seem to recall you laying hands on me several times against my will. He hasn't ever done anything I haven't asked for or given my consent to."

Logan made an ugly face but didn't answer. Marie crowed inwardly at the temporary victory. She steamed on like a freight train.

"What about the sparring then? You know it could be dangerous if I overestimate myself. Why did you hold back?"

"Well I couldn't beat you into the floor, right? It isn't exactly easy to keep my strength in check enough and still teach you. Didn't want you to end up looking like you got run over by a horse."

"Bruises heal, so does cuts and scrapes. Broken necks and evisceration mostly don't and that's where I could've ended up, thinking I could handle a situation when in reality I had no clue about the level of danger." She was getting dangerously close to the truth. How lucky she'd been that Victor had been more curious and amused than murderous that night.

Logan just grunted for a non-answer. Marie started moving to the door.

"So, do we have an agreement? Will you try to be honest with me? Can you try to let me live my life?"

"I'll always try my best to protect you."

It wasn't the answer she wanted. Marie sighed, weary.

"Wolverine..."

"Alright, I'll try. I can't promise I won't freak out sometime, but I'll do my best. And when I fuck up, you're free to yell at me until my ears bleed. That's the best I can give you right now."

She looked him in the eyes for long moments, trying to see a will to fight for this. She dipped her head once, to acknowledge his promise, and stepped out the door, hurrying back to her room. Marie slammed the door shut and pressed her back to it, sinking to the floor as the tension finally left her. She had never thought she'd be able to do this. Yet she did it and survived. As soon as her heart stopped pounding in relief, she'd be really proud of herself.

"So, it's done?" Jubilee poked her head up from among the pillows they had built a nest of.

Marie just nodded, still unable to speak.

"Well come on then, chica! Don't just sit there! Details, puuleas!"

Marie nodded and got up, plopping down on the bed. A movie was on, providing them with background noise as Marie told Jubes everything about the conversation she had just had. It was really good to have her friend back.

* * *

"Thank you so much for your help." Marie hung up.

Finally, she knew. Logan and Victor were really related. Closely related, possibly brothers or cousins. She couldn't tell if it would change her situation, really, but somehow it should. It was hard to know how to use the information. Logan might not remember or the animosity between them was the actual reason for the Wolverine's failure to mention it. She might approach Victor about it but that could be walking on thin ice with stilettos. Still, if they were going to become more seriously involved, it was an issue that needed to be addressed. To Victor's credit, he was always blunt and honest and he would probably be upfront about the situation, even if only to say he didn't want to go into details. She could live with that.

He probably wouldn't explode into a fit if she asked but Marie knew she could be cunning about it and put him in a good mood. He always was more talkative when he'd blown off the worst steam, she'd learned quite quickly.

So, she had plans to make.

* * *

The training session had been good. She was getting better quickly, holding her own for quite a while now.

The following sex had been mindblowing. As usual after a fight, no matter it wasn't a serious fight, it started out rough and heated and turned slow and sweet as they came down from the adrenaline.

But nerves drove her out of Victor's possessive arms and she sat up on the bed, her back to him. She leaned her elbows on her knees, hunching over, as she fretted over the coming conversation. As usual, he read her like an open book.

"So, moody. Care to share what's chewing you?"

"I have found out some... stuff. The kind of things that can make or break a lot. Or maybe it's inconsequential. I don't know." She hedged.

Victor crawled closer, curling around her.

"So what are you gonna do? The way I see it, you can either let it go or face it head on. No point in letting it eat you." Victor wasn't one to encourage stewing. "It's better to let me eat you." He added with that trademark lascivious grin of his.

Marie took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. No point in trying to cover how nervous she was, he would know anyway.

"We have never talked about our families. Do you have any relatives?"

She felt him tense behind her for a fraction of a second but it was gone so quickly she wondered if she had imagined it.

"Yeah. But we don't stay in touch."

He didn't elaborate, but Marie felt him waiting for her to make the next move.

"I know you and Wolverine are related."

"Hmh." He answered noncommittally.

He didn't explode and Marie let him mull over the situation. Frankly, she didn't know how to continue this conversation, she had just been anxious to get this off her chest. He was quite for so long she thought he might not say anything.

"You're right. We're family. By blood, at least." Something bitter crept into his voice.

His grip on her tightened possessively and Marie turned to look at him, but his face was unreadable.

"Does it change anything?" He asked.

"Not for me. I just...I don't know, wanted you to know that I know." She massaged his arm with slow and deliberate movements, soothing him.

"We're half-brothers. But we parted ways a long time ago."

Marie was curious but didn't push, knowing he could clam up and that would be the end of this conversation for the foreseeable future.

"You can tell me as much or as little you want." Then another thought struck her. "How long is 'a long time ago'? I don't even know how old you are."

Victor snorted. "He left me way before he lost his memory. My age is unimportant, I've been around long enough to have seen the invention of the car. Wolverine is a couple of years younger than me."

Marie rummaged on that morsel. So she really was a kid compared to them. Still, Victor never rubbed it in her face.

"Whatever you wish to do, I accept that. But in return I hope you will respect that I hope to keep Wolverine in my life. As a friend.'

"I have no real issue with him, except that he was a lot like me for years and then he estranged me, considered himself better than me for lying to himself about what he is. Then he lost his memory and it all morphed into the hatred he holds against me, even though now he doesn't know why... He tried to change, but when he lost his memory he went back to fighting. We're not so different, really, it's just he won't see it that way."

He seemed sad for it and it broke Marie's heart a little. She of all people knew that Wolverine wasn't just fighting for money; the man was so closely entwined with the violence it was hard to tell if it was embedded in the very core of his being or not. Victor might be slightly worse, but on the other hand he never cared for trying to pretend he was a better person, that he didn't enjoy it, and she loved him even more for it. If he didn't lie about that, Marie couldn't even think up a situation where he would be dishonest with her. It brought her comfort, in a slightly disturbing way. Victor always made her push her own boundaries for what was acceptable and when the line was irrevocably crossed.

"I talked to him a few days ago. I didn't tell him anything about this, I figure it isn't my story to tell. I want to try to keep him as a friend, but I won't let him get between us." Marie clarified.

"Sounds fair. He'll throw a bitchfit of unimaginable magnitude the second he realizes who's been fucking you into the floor, though."

The leer on his face signalled that the serious talk was over and Marie slapped him playfully on the arm. _The man was hopeless._

* * *

Marie just wanted to have some fun. And that's why she wasn't planning on staying in Victor's bed all night. Maybe she was getting a bit wreckless because Logan had held his part of their truce for a couple of weeks. And she had not snuck out, keeping her dates to reasonable hours and telling people when she left.

But right now, she was up for some more rebellion. And so she climbed out of her window again, dressed to impress. Low rise, tight jeans and a top leaving most of her back bare.

Victor waited for her in the usual spot, black pick up polished to perfection. He liked keeping his stuff clean and Marie had nothing to object about that little fact. _Especially not when they were in the shower and he was cleaning her..._

Marie shook her head. The man was incredibly distracting. She climbed in, sinking comfortably into the seat.

"So, kitten, what we doing tonight?"

"We're going drinking."

Victor raised an amused eyebrow.

"You do remember that I don't really get drunk?"

"Well, I think I have an idea..."

Marie smirked, she was very proud of this particular idea, feeling very smug.

"What if I grope you all night?" She leered just a little bit at her double meaning.

Victor clicked his tongue, then he realized what she meant and he grinned.

"Clever girl. That's a good idea. Where to?"

"Same place as usual?"

 _Might be the only place that don't ask me for id._ Marie hadn't told Victor that she still was six months shy of drinking legally and Victor never asked. Age seemed unimportant to him, but that wasn't really strange, considering _everyone_ was younger than him.

This time, there were no wracked nerves when she enter the bar, just anticipation. Victor was a steady presence behind her and she knew she was a better fighter than ever. No matter what lowlifes frequented this place, she was pretty sure she could handle them. Except they wouldn't even get that far. Not with Sabertooth winding his arm possessively around her shoulders.

He nodded and made a gesture to the bartender and dragged her to his favorite booth in the corner. A bottle of bourbon and two classes was put before them almost instantly.

Victor kept his hand on the bare skin on her back and they sat in comfortable silence for a while, Rogue curiously glancing at the people scattered in the shabby room. She knew not to let her eyes linger on anyone for too long, but she couldn't refuse to look just a little. This place was so far from the school, it could be different planets. But Rogue wasn't some spoiled brat, she had been through hardships and seen the ugly side of life.

Yet she couldn't feel bitter about it, because every single thing that had happened had all added up to make the path leading her here. And she found that this was exactly where she wanted to be. Living a little on the edge, but mostly with Sabertooth by her side.

She sipped her bourbon and looked up at him.

"What made you refrain from killing me that first time I came here."

He was silent for so long, she thought he wouldn't answer.

"You called me Creed. Nobody has made a point of knowing me by human name in a very long time."

He shrugged, as if he trying to smooth over the fact that he must've been lonely back then. After all, Sabertooth was an invincible, cold blooded psychopath.

"And I was intrigued what would bring you to search _me_ out. Considering our...differences."

She mulled it over, the alcohol slowly warming her, a pleasurable numbness spreading through her. Rogue looked up at him. His eyes were a bit glazed.

"Starting to feel the effect?" She asked, amused.

"Mhm." He smiled slowly. "And it's quite...nice."

It still took a good amount of liquor to get him more than just slightly tipsy. He had excused himself to go to the bathroom when trouble walked through the door. Rogue spotted them just before they reached her table.

"You, young lady, are going to explain yourself." Scott exclaimed, furiously glaring at the bottle on the table.

Rogue felt unnaturally calm. Where she would have stuttered and blushed just months ago, now she was almost... _amused_. She tilted her head, sizing him up. Her tongue peeked out to drag over one fang.

"I'm on a date." She smirked.

"Seriously?! _Here_?!"

"Isn't it obvious?"

She was getting under his skin and she could smell the incoming tantrum. Scott schooled himself, though, clamping down on his temper.

"If he can't take you anyplace nicer , why even bother?" He ground out.

"He can bring me anywhere actually." She said it with a noncommittal, airy voice. "I asked to come here."

"Why?" Hank asked.

"Oh, I don't know, how about some rebellion? Living a little dangerous? Or how about nostalgia? Take your pick."

"You've been drinking. You're underage!" Scott hissed.

"Is there a problem here?"

Sabertooth towered over the two men, leisurely standing just a little too close for comfort. With a low rumble, just a hint of a barely audible warning, he slipped past them and into the booth, giving them his back in a blatant display of how little he thought them a threat.

 _Even drunk and relaxed he has that smooth power that reeks of danger._ Rogue noted and fully approved.

Scott's jaw worked a few times before he snapped it shut with an audible click.

Sabertooth quirked a mocking brow.

"You didn't answer my question. Is. There. A. Problem?"

He wound an arm around Rogue, lacing the fingers of his other hand through her's and with a grin that showed _oh so much_ sharp teeth, he kissed the palm of her hand gently.

Scott sputtered. Rogue repressed a grin at his expense.

"You took her _here_?! For a _date_?!"

Rogue realized that Scott hadn't recognized Sabertooth. It was nothing short of impossible that he would see that as the biggest issue if he had. Sabertooth shrugged, a cocky grin stretching his lips.

"Lady's wishes. And I do take care of all my woman's... _needs_."

 _Oh, the leer on his face!_ Rogue was getting suddenly hot with the implication. Scott looked like he wanted to tear someone apart. Hank just looked incredibly awkward.

"She's underage! She's not even allowed to drink!" Scott growled at Sabertooth.

"'She' is sitting right here!" Rogue snapped at Scott. How dare he turn to Sabertooth as if he was her keeper?! Sabertooth slowly turned to her.

"Is that so? You're engaging in illegal activities?"

Still that cool calculating rumble, not a trace of the uncontrolled, snarling beast craving blood and violence. It made him seem all the more dangerous. Like a cat, toying with his prey. Rogue's heart skipped a beat. Or ten. She swallowed audibly.

"I think someone is a bad girl..." Dark amusement glittered in his eyes.

Rogue shivered, memory of their audience completely wiped out. He leaned in, nipping her neck. A scandalized sound from Scott jerked them back to reality.

And that's when Logan walked into the bar, his eyes finding them immediately.

"Hello, _Jimmy_." Sabertooth said, smirk firmly in place.

Rogue could spot the exact moment when Wolverine recognized who the man pressed against Rogue was. She caught the dilation of pupils, the gasp and the tension of his body.

Then all hell broke loose.


	11. Chapter 11

An./ Thank you all for sticking with me, and for all your lovely reviews. RL held me down and, boy, did this chapter kick my ass! It just wouldn't come out right and it had to be rewritten and.. bah. But alas: enjoy the show.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Wolverine snarled to Scott, rushing towards them.

Scott looked confused at first at the other man's reaction. He wasn't exactly ecstatic with the situation but Wolverine's reaction seemed a little over the top.

Sabertooth vaulted over the table, all smooth and lethal power and Scott flinched away quickly, startled by the sudden movement, leaving room for the tall mutant to land almost soundlessly in front of them. Sabertooth seemed obnoxiously relaxed, mostly amused by the situation, his stance not showing any sign of preparing to fight. Except that smirk, promising that he knew this could lead to violence and that he was absolutely certain that he would walk out as the winner.

Wolverine pulled his hand back to strike at his long forgotten brother, jumping forward in an attack driven by rage and hate he didn't even fully comprehend.

"That's Sabertooth!" He snarled to nobody in particular.

Sabertooth fluidly dropped into a crouch, deflected his blow and used Wolverine's momentum to throw the smaller man into a table without much effort. Wolverine flew back up without a seconds hesitation. Scott was still frozen in place.

Rogue couldn't help but stare at Sabertooth, for the first time in a place where she could fully appreciate his skills as a fighter, with a front row seat instead of being the one tossed around. It was thrilling and terrifying all at once. He hadn't actually made anything to hurt Wolverine yet, just defended himself, but that could change quickly.

Wolverine reared up and moved in for another attack, similar to the first one, jumping for the still oddly relaxed mutant. Sabertooth almost seemed to enjoy himself, an amused little smile playing on his lips.

Wolverine's assault was stopped midair. The bartender appeared out of nowhere with a deep snarl, grabbing his wrist with one hand and lifting him by the scruff with his other.

"You won't be causing trouble here!" He snarled inches from Wolverine's ear, voice lethal. He slammed Wolverine down on the floor, a huge hand over his throat pinning the smaller man on his back.

"Tooth?" He fixed Sabertooth with an unyielding glare.

Rogue startled. The man was at least as big as Sabertooth, but even bulkier, and obviously in the same caliber in strength. His low and guttural voice spoke loads of his origins. The man was a feral mutant, something she had somehow failed to notice before.

"It's OK, Bear. Won't cause any fuzz." Sabertooth self confident smirk turned into a toothy grin. "Here." He turned to Scott. "Take your puppy and leave. You're done here. Unless you want to take this discussion outside..." Rogue didn't miss how much pointy teeth his smile showed.

"We're not leaving without Rogue!" Scott sputtered.

"I'd say you will, but it really is up to her. I like to give my lady what she wants." Sabertooth gave Scott a saccharine smile and slid back into the booth, putting his arm across Rogue's shoulders. He nuzzled her behind her ear.

Rogue shivered and leaned into the touch. Wolverine was getting up slowly, closely guarded by the hulk of a bartender. He gawked at the pair.

"I can't believe this! Rogue, get over here right now. We're going home." Wolverine growled at her.

Sabertooth took a deep swig of his drink and Rogue realized why he seemed so relaxed. He was quite drunk. He leaned back in, nipping her neck, a hand sliding down her side. Rogue melted into his touches, momentarily forgetting their audience. He knew exactly what buttons to push and her body was heating up. _Maybe they should slip out into the alley..._

"You decide what we do. I'll go with you if you go home. If you want me to, of course." He murmured.

That sobered her up and cleared the haze of lust clouding her mind. Her head snapped up and she met Scott's eyes, a disgusted look on his face.

"We are not leaving you here with... with, _that!"_ He spat, staring hatefully at Sabertooth.

She looked back at Sabertooth, sought his eyes for long seconds, trying to decide what his motivation was. She did not need a bloody massacre on her hands. He shrugged one shoulder, a movement so small she felt it more than saw it, as if that would explain everything. All she could see was that slightly tipsy relaxation and the burning hunger always present when they were this close. She dipped her head and made a decision. It was time to settle this, and while she didn't doubt for a second that Sabertooth would fight them to the death if need be to keep her with him, she needed to make this right. Now they knew and she needed to solve this long-term, not just for the night.

"Come with me. _Please._ " She whispered. He nodded in reply.

"Ok, let's go then." She said, getting up, grabbing Sabertooth's hand and pulling him with her.

"I-I...what?! No. Just, no" Scott sputtered.

"You can't be serious. For once, I'm with Scott. No fucking way." Wolverine ground out through gritted teeth.

"There's no other option. Either _we_ go with you or I'm staying." Rogue set her jaw.

Wolverine was about to open his mouth again but Scott cut him off.

"Fine." He clenched his jaw, fuming. "Lets go."

Rogue passed them with her head held high, Sabertooth trailing along in ger wake, fingers loosely laced through hers. She didn't see his gloating smile.

* * *

The drive back was awkward at best. Luckily, they had taken the minivan, Rogue didn't dare to think about being crammed into a regular car with these particular mutants and neither her, nor Sabertooth were fit to drive. She curled up against Sabertooth in the back seat.

The silence was thick in the van but Rogue found it easier to think, slightly relieved that there wasn't screaming and fighting. She could see Scott stewing. Wolverine was grinding his teeth hard enough to be heard all the way to where she was sitting. She drew a shaky breath, trying to gather courage for the inevitable confrontation. Leaving the bar with Sabertooth had been a risky strategy, but she knew that the only way this could ever end in a good way was if she could have Storm and the Professor's calming influences on her side. Right now, they were a rolling time bomb.

"You ok?" Sabertooth murmured.

"You have no right to ask her that! You _kidnapped_ her, for fuck's sake!" Wolverine growled.

"That was a long time ago. And I figure that she has forgiven me." Sabertooth shrugged.

Rogue slapped him, but there wasn't any true heat in her glare.

"I'm OK, thank you. And yes, you are forgiven. You've more than made up for that." She smiled up at him.

Wolverine gagged. Scott glared in the rearview mirror.

"So this is why you asked so much about Sabertooth?" Hank asked quietly. He had stayed out of the volatile situation, merely observing until now.

"Yeah." Rogue blushed. She wasn't proud of tricking the doctor into giving her information.

"What?!" Scott exclaimed.

"Well, I had to know some stuff. I _have_ absorbed quite a lot of Sabertooth. I had to know what it was doing to me." It was a white lie, but it fell smoothly from her lips.

"I don't want to know more, thank you." He paused, glaring in the mirror again. His glasses made it impossible to know for sure, but Rogue suspected he was glaring at Sabertooth. "How did you trick her into this."

Sabertooth laughed, a deep rumbling sound of pure amusement.

"Actually, she was the one who started it. What was it you said, babe? 'I'm just here to fuck?' Mhm, yes that was it." He smirked, eyes glinting with glee. _Oh, now he was just baiting them._

Wolverine tried to throw himself over the back of his seat, reaching for his smug forgotten halfbrother.

"I'll fucking kill you! We can hide the body!" He roared.

Wolverine yelped when he was slammed back down into the seat before anybody even moved to stop him.

"No, you won't." Rogue hissed, being the one to do the manhandling with flicks of her fingers and her stolen control of metal. "This is the way things are. Deal with it, or I walk."

"You will never have to walk if you don't want to. I'll carry you wherever you want." Sabretooth whispered in her ear.

Rogue's heart double thumped at the promise made in his honey laced voice reserved for her. Scott scoffed, but to her, it was just background noise. She pressed her lips to Sabretooth's rough cheek, overwhelmed by how he always knew how to take her breath away.

The car entered the long driveway, but she didn't have the presence of mind to get nervous. She was wrapped up in the realization that she wanted to be with Sabretooth forever. The thought had crossed her mind, but there had always been issues that needed solutions, questions that needed answers. Not anymore. This was the man she wanted. And they would make it work.

The car jerked to a halt, pulling her out of her starstruck staring at the big feral. He slipped out of her grasp and stepped out in a quick move, exiting the car before anybody else. She saw him stretch, like a cat waking up from a nap, at ease and confident even in this potentially dangerous situation.

Wolverine exploded out of the car, launching himself over the hood, aiming at Sabretooth who smoothly slipped into a defensive crouch. Rogue caught his anticipatory grin, all toothy and feral and _hungry._ She shivered.

The ferals collided. Wolverine raging like a rabid dog and Sabretooth with that infuriating smirk still on his face. Wolverine went berserk, going in to kill. Sabretooth deflected to avoid injury and attacked without intention to harm. Everyone else was screaming, trying to get them to stop without actually going into the fray. Nobody was suicidal. Rogue looked, disturbingly at ease. She was confident that Sabretooth wouldn't kill his brother and equally confident that there was no way Wolverine would get close to succeeding. The feral part of her saw this as the ultimate test of her mate. She just needed popcorn...

Wolverine's claws sliced through Sabretooth's skin, blood starting to wet his shirt, but she still wasn't worried. It wasn't deep. She felt strangely detached from the gathering crowd, screaming in panic and anger.

Heavy winds struck the battling pair and Rogue's head whipped around, eyes locking on Storm. She charged the woman, seething in anger.

"Don't you dare stop this! They have to establish dominance." She snarled in the face of the startled woman she pinned with ease. Sabretooth's lessons had served her well.

She sat back, baring her teeth without even realizing it, and glanced repeatedly at the fighters. Wolverine was losing, slowly but surely. Sabretooth had a few more cuts and scrapes that was soaking his shirt and he had obviously put a few marks on the smaller feral but that wasn't what told her she had picked the strongest male.

Wolverine was going down as soon as he got up and Sabretooth didn't even seem like he was winded. She watched, transfixed, as he pinned Wolverine in the last, lethal pose, pinning his brother on his front, Sabretooth's teeth clamping down across his neck in an unmistakable gesture: I _could_ sever your head, I _choose_ not to.

Long seconds passed before Wolverine finally yielded, his body going lax. Sabretooth got up slowly, stretching to his full height and roaring triumphantly. Rogue noticed that he never let Wolverine out of his peripheral sight during the display. He wasn't just strong, he was cunning too.

He swaggered over to her, leaving his brother on the ground. Wolverine wasn't injured but probably nursing his wounded pride.

"Weatherwitch." He nodded to the woman Rogue was still sitting on, a very offhanded, very Sabretooth kind of greeting. He turned to Rogue.

"Let's go meet the mind-burglar." He gave her his hand and helped her up like she weighed nothing.

Normally, she'd press up close to him, bit something instinctual told her that she should flank him this time and so she followed him. He swaggered toward the mansion, the crowd stepping back as he walked.

Bobby stayed where he was, not exactly in Sabretooth's direct path, but not moving away either. Rogue saw his fists was clenched as well as his teeth. The reek of fear tipped him off, even if he played brave. She stayed back, watching. Sabretooth moved as if to pass the boy, but then he turned, almost as an afterthought.

"You're Iceman, yes?" He rumbled.

Bobby nodded once, glaring at the towering feral.

"I heard what you did." Sabretooth hissed, low enough to keep it from everybody's ears.

"Think she's better off with you?" Bobby snarled through his teeth.

"I know she is. You don't even know how lucky _you_ are. I was going to gut you for that but she wouldn't like that, so I refrained." Sabretooth stated loud and clear for everyone to hear. It was both a threat and a warning.

Sabretooth turned, dismissing the inconsequential little boy that had gone sheet white.

"Who...who are you?" Bobby managed to stutter.

Sabretooth turned, smiling nastily to show off sharp fangs.

"Name's Creed. But to all of you, I'm Sabretooth."

* * *

Oh, he had no trouble leisurely walking through the school that represented every enemy he'd had for the last 15 years as if he owned the place. Sabretooth didn't do fear or anxiety.

That little altercation with his forgetful brother had been...fun. The runt still came out second, even when Sabretooth held back. But, even if it was a valid side note to solve things with Wolverine, the issue here today was the telepath. He knew Charles Xavier well enough to guess that the man considered Rogue one of his own children, just as he knew that professor already knew that he was there and likely why. He didn't count on being granted the courtesy of privacy of his own mind.

Well, he could play that game. He remembered how the maggot of a boy outside smelled of fear and self-righteous hatred, something he knew the telepath would be disappointed with. He focused on how the fear thrilled him, how just the thought of bloody vengeance sent chills of pleasure along his spine, making his muscles tense with anticipation. A fantasy, bloody and vivid, of tearing the insolent brat apart, piece by gory piece. A flicker of Rogue in the midst, fucking her, both smeared in the blood of her antagonist.

He shut that thought down. It would probably be a good way to keep Xavier out of his head, but he didn't want to display his girl like that. The memories and fantasies of her was his and his alone, never to be weaponized. It grounded him to know that nobody else had seen her like he had. How she willingly gave everything she had to his beast, soothing him to be docile like a pet cat.

Behind him, she followed on silent feet, moving like a wraith in his wake. She had come such a long way since the first time he laid eyes on her in that bar. Long gone was the clumsy, shy and awkward girl. He had molded her and she had adapted, grown into a form that fitted to his odd angles. She was perfect.

The others followed them warily, trying to maintain some illusion of control of the situation. They were all inconsequential to Sabretooth. He had what he wanted, now it was just a matter of sealing the deal by officially staking his claim.

The ostentatious doors at the end of the hallway swung open, the telepath showing off his talents and it made Sabretooth smirk. He had a sliver of respect for the professor, after all, the cripple had made it this far, even with Magneto's plotting and that dreadful redhead. The fact that Xavier actually killed her had scored him several points in Sabretooth's book, had the feral cared for keeping one.

That he chose to display his powers now made Sabretooth like him a little more, an adequate guardian for his female up until now when he himself was stepping up to the plate. He didn't count the time he managed to kidnap her, because if his little hellcat had shown one thing, it was that she wasn't easy to lock up in a tower. Good for him, as these months had proven to be the best of his long life.

"Please come inside, Sabretooth." Charles voice, smooth and pleasant as ever, was easily picked up from the distance by sensitive feral ears.

Sabretooth strode in, leaving the doors open for the audience. He wasn't here to be subtle. Storm, Cyclops and Beast stepped around, flanking the professor. Wolverine lingered at the door, probably sulking at his defeat, but eventually he came forward too, joining the other X-men.

Rogue pressed against his side and he slung an arm around her shoulders, careful not to hold her too tight. He didn't need to trap her, she was there by her own volition.

"I must admit that I am surprised to see you here, Sabretooth. And under these circumstances." Then professor's eyes were wide, apparently not expecting Sabretooth to have cleaned up his look.

"I'm here to stop the harassment of my girlfriend. Rogue's a free person. She should be allowed to see whoever she wants. Without being persecuted, spied on and told off." He probably came off as arrogant. He didn't care.

"You do realize that you have kidnapped her once? Of course we would be worried."

"That's not the point. She forgave that a long time ago. The point is, you tried to control her long before you knew who was courting her."

"Because she's under age! You are corrupting her and..." Scott started but the professor silenced him easily by raising a hand.

 _Obedient, cowed little pets._ Sabretooth inwardly curled a lip in disgust.

"But you do see it as a good thing that I'm protective of all the children." The telepath stated.

Sabretooth cocked an eyebrow, tapping his head with a clawed finger. _Of course he couldn't refrain from snooping around._

"And Rogue. This conversation shouldn't be about you, but with you as a participant." Xavier turned to the girl.

"I'm involved enough. If he said something I don't agree with, I'd say so." She turned to Sabretooth. "Or kick his ass." She smirked confidently.

Sabretooth grinned at her. The moment was broken by a scoff from Wolverine. Apparently he'd nursed his wounded pride enough to go back to the land of denial.

"Oh, please. You couldn't take him even if he was tied up."

She leered wickedly and Sabretooth waited. This was going to be good.

"Oh, I already did _take_ him when he was tied up. But that's beside the point. I can fight and I fight well. I'm not some poor damsel in distress, waiting for Prince charming to come to the rescue. I found him myself and I snared him."

Scott sputtered and Wolverine growled but Sabretooth didn't miss the tiny hint of amusement quirking the professor's lips. He was starting to see why Rogue respected and liked Xavier.

"I guess this wasn't the smoothest way to announce my relationship, but it wasn't what I had planned either. I was going to tell you, but I guess this hurried our courting. Not that I feel rushed into this, but we were taking it slow."

"Perhaps I should have seen this coming, given the way you treated him in your mind. I don't want to pry, but of course I am concerned with your safety. He _is_ Sabretooth." The professor turned his gaze to Sabretooth, fixing the feral with a searching stare.

"I have been safe around him for months. Even though I realized, in hindsight no less, that I did really put my life on the line when I approached him, seeing as my fighting training here had mislead me to believe I was a good fighter." Rogue glared at Scott and Wolverine.

"So this is your choice?" Storm interrupted quietly before the affronted teachers could start yelling. "I will respect that. But never forget that I'm here for you." She approached the pair cautiously, to hug Rogue.

The younger woman returned the affection. "Thank you." She whispered.

Storm stepped back, fixing Sabretooth with an impressive glare. "Aren't you a little old for her?" She asked in a low voice.

Sabretooth snorted. "Technically, yeah, since I'm probably one of the oldest people on the planet. 'coupl 'a years older than him." He pointed at Wolverine. "But I think that hardly matters. I'd be too old for you too, if you count normal human years."

The weatherwitch stared up at him and he could feel the attention of the entire crowd. It didn't faze him at all.

"Do you know Logan?" She asked after long moments of stunned silence.

"You could say that, but I haven't really known _Jimmy_ for a long time." He turned to Wolverine. "Right, _brother?"_

The room erupted in chaos. Raised voices, shouting, everyone was talking at the same time. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Rogue take a step back, overwhelmed with all the noise.

"Shut up! Everyone, just shut the fuck up!" She screamed, pressing her hands against her ears.

Sabretooth leaned into her, rumbling a wordless assurance. She glared around the room.

"I have the genetic proof, they are brothers." She glared at Sabretooth. "This was not the way I intended him to find out." She growled.

He shrugged unrepentantly. She had told him that it was his story to tell. Voila, he did.

"Doesn't matter, I knew he would take it like a cunt no matter how I presented it. Like it or not, it's the truth. Do whatever you want with it. That's not why I am here."

Wolverine seemed to be struggling with something, fists clenched and his jaw working furiously. His arms twitched and his entire body jerked with aborted movements. Sabretooth held his brother's furious glare, amused by Jimmy's face contorted in rage but then his expression went blank. Too blank. _Probably the telepath doing something. Oh, well._

"What do _you_ want, Rogue. I think that is the real issue here, is it not?" The professor asked the girl.

"I want to finish my studies, maybe work some with you after but mainly live my own life and live and work somewhere else. I won't take up teaching. But this only stands if my relationship will be accepted. Otherwise I'll walk."

It was an ultimatum, and one Sabretooth fully approved of. He wouldn't mind snatching her away right now and part of him hoped that they would try to go against her and thereby give him an excuse to do so. But the professor wouldn't do such a thing.

"I accept those conditions. I hope you understand that Sabretooth can't be allowed unrestricted access to the entire school." The professor said.

"I understand. It's not like I'm asking him to move in. I'll stay here sometimes and at his place sometimes. I think it's a good idea to get everyone here used to this in smaller doses."

The professor nodded in understanding, catching Sabretooth's eyes and giving him the same gesture of acceptance. Sabretooth withheld a snort. _As if he would care about their acceptance._

"Well, since none of you are in a state to be driving, you are welcome to stay the night, Sabretooth."

The professor watched him with an intensity that made Sabretooth certain that he was reading his mind. _Whatever._

"Ororo, please show Mr Creed to the guestroom."

Sabretooth grinned. _Such head games!_ Using his human name was nothing but a warning to behave himself among the poor, innocent little children. _Oh, he would. For now._

"What about Wolverine? Will you release him from your control? Not that I'm worried about myself. It would be such a shame to damage the school."

"I'm currently holding him back. I will take him down to the medical facility and get him through this. He will not be a problem."

Sabretooth dipped his head in acknowledgement with a smirk. The professor had probably hoped that nobody would know about him using his little mind control trick on Jimmy. _What would the children think?_ Of course, Sabretooth couldn't miss the chance to sow a little discord among the mutants. At least they should be asking questions and think for themselves. To follow blindly was a dangerous path to take. He knew all about it. Following Magneto... Look where that landed him; kidnapping and almost killing his girl, almost getting killed himself. Both points would have prevented this from ever happening. He almost shuddered at the thought of not having gotten to know the Rogue, her fierce spirit and her... _love_.

They followed the weatherwitch out of the room, the crowd parting for them. Sabretooth didn't deign to even cast a glance at them. _Inconsequential little flies._

Rogue followed him to the guestroom but it was obvious that they wouldn't be left alone. Storm lingered. _So the professor wouldn't allow them to fornicate under his roof? How hypocritical._

"I'll be up here first thing in the morning." Rogue hesitated, uncertain what to say and do with the audience.

Sabretooth had no such doubts. He pulled her in, pressing her along his body, sliding his hands down her sides. She gasped and pressed closer and with a victorious smirk, hr cupped her ass and lifted her. Her arms and legs wrapped around him when she immediately surrendered to his rough kiss. _She was so easy to make pliable like this, to make her forget everything but the two of them._ She grew more needy, more heated by the second and he could smell her arousal.

It was with an effort, and with great regret, he broke the kiss and coaxed her to let go of him to put her down.

"Audience, remember?" He murmured and smiled at her rosy cheeks turning red when she did.

"Oh, yes. Mm. Good night, Victor. See you tomorrow."

He rubbed his cheek against her hair in a decidedly feline motion of affection and stepped back. Storm was staring at them and he just gave her a cocky smirk before dismissing her with a wave of his hand. Being in enemy territory or not, he was still Sabretooth. He was still the one in charge.


	12. Chapter 12

The morning after would be awkward, or at least Marie was convinced then it would be. It didn't lessen the pep in her step when she quickly walked down the hallways to his room. Oh, she had no illusion about them being allowed privacy for long, the good professor surely would send a babysitter for her. The one sent would probably see themselves more of a bodyguard for her but, _really_?

She snorted to herself. They had no clue about how well she could handle herself. And handle Sabertooth. _Handle_ him real well, that silky length smooth in her hands, sans gloves...

Rogue shook her head. There was something about that man that made her lose track of everything else. She briefly wondered if it was some feral mating instinct, inherited from her adopted gifts. Food for thought. Storm joined her from an adjacent stairway and Rogue stifled her need to roll her eyes. _Babysitter_ _indeed_. She pointedly ignored the woman, briskly taking the last steps to the room Victor temporarily occupied.

"Victor swung the door open just as she was about to knock. Of course he'd heard them coming. She almost blushed, because he shamelessly opened the door dripping wet, wearing just a towel around his hips. Marie floundered for a second and he raised an eyebrow, a smirk quirking just the corner of his mouth.

Storm cleared her throat and Marie whipped her head around, the other woman momentarily forgotten in her gawking. He never failed to impress her with being more stunning than she could dream.

"Breakfast soon?" He asked causally.

"I..uh, yeah."

 _Eloquent, Marie_. She mentally facepalmed.

"Good. I'm starving. Let me put on some clothes? Or should I go like this?" He leered at her.

"Clothes is necessary."

She answered, because they were. Not that she wanted him to wear them.

He barked a laugh and returned inside, leaving the door open, obviously intent on giving her a good eyeful of Sabertooth. She glanced at Storm but the other woman had turned her back on the scene, arms crossed over her chest.

"He's quite shameless." Storm pointed out, a tinge of pink raising on her cheeks.

"That, he is." Marie answered.

Sabertooth laughed again, abs flexing distractingly under smooth, tanned skin. Rogue almost drooled. _Almos_

"Well I _was raised_ with Wolverine. Sort of." He pointed out amusedly, pulling his pants on.

 _Of course, he had to go commando_. Because Rogue wouldn't have enough problems to focus anyway.

He held his arm out for her to take, showing off those rarely used 1800's manners and it charmed the southern belle in her.

"Why, thank you, Sir." She smiled at him.

"Would you do me the honor of showing me the dining room, my Lady?" He asked her with an amused glint in his eyes.

She laughed and tugged him with her, eager to get some food. Out of the corner of her eyes, Rogue saw Storm watching them with an incredulous expression. She could understand the confusion. Even Rogue herself had a hard time grasping that she was with Sabertooth.

All conversation came to a halt when they entered the dining room, everybody gawking at them. It was still strange, the way she didn't mind. _Let_ _them_ _stare_. She was comfortable in her own skin for the first time since she was a child. She was a _woman now_ , not a blushing, awkward girl who was so shy, she had a hard time being the center of attention even in a crowd of just a few of her friends.

They headed for the counter where the food was waiting to be devoured and was she ready to heed emthat/em call? One had not experienced famine until you had been a feral. She was piling her plate with scrambled eggs when Jubilee sidled up to her.

"Way to go, girl! _You_ have caught a really sweet piece of meat." She stage whispered to Rogue.

Ont theother side of her , Sabertooth snorted. Of course he'd heard that. And it was probably her intent. Jubilee grinned unrepentantly.

"Oh, yeah he is! But he's _mine_." Rogue growled playfully, baring a fang with her smirk.

"I know. Wouldn't dare poke him with a stick. But that's a good thing. Means you're safe, girlie." Jubilee waved to Sabertooth

"Hi, I'm Jubilee, Rogue's best friend. If you stick with her, you're stuck with me too. And you better not break her heart." She mock threatened him, her typical positivity defusing the threat.

"Good to know she has someone watching her back." He acknowledged.

"Jubes is a real gem." Rogue said.

She was appreciating both her friend and her man even more. It would be wonderful if they could, if not get along, at least be on speaking terms. Wolverine's standoffishness to the exuberant girl had always bothered her.

By the time they say down at a table, the chatter had resumed and they were blissfully left to themselves. Jubilee had grabbed an apple and bounced away, leaving "the two lovebirds to their own devices" and Rogue was relieved. She needed to work everything out with Victor before she felt ready for the cross exam that was sure to follow and the introduction of her bubbly friend to her undoubtedly volatile boyfriend.

"You OK?" He searched her face.

"Yes. I'm more than OK. It's daunting but I'm relieved. No more sneaking around. I can show you off to the world now."

He rumbled a low laugh but stretched across the table to entwine their fingers.

"That, you can. And I can get you a better car."

"Hey, Iem like/em my car! I always think about you when I drive it. Reminds me of how we started out."

"You can still keep that car. You can have whatever you want."

"The only thing that matters is that I have you."

He smirked, that infuriatingly teasing quirk of his mouth.

"Cheesy, but true." He agreed.

Marie rolled her eyes and he pulled her forward over the table to press his lips to hers. Marie melted into the kiss, food and the others in the room forgotten until someone catcalled. Victor smirked against her lips, ending the kiss with licking her upper lip.

"We should get out of here." He murmured.

"Yeah." Marie's answer was breathy, her face flushed.

She grabbed their plates and hastily put them in the dishwasher, following him outside.

"I'll be back for class on Monday." She said as she passed Storm in the hallway.

 _They wouldn't leave his apartment until then_.

 **Two months later, in a cafe**

"So..." Jubilee hesitated.

It got Marie's attention, because Jubes just wasn't one to beat around the bush. She looked up from her coffee and waited for her friend to spit it out.

"Well, now that you have Sabertooth and all. How do you think of Logan?"

"As a friend. It's still strained, but I consider it a friendship on hold, not lost."

"So, if someone wanted to date him...

"I'm in a relationship. I can't expect him not to get involved with other women. Lord knows he's had his share of ladies while I was still pining for him."

You wouldn't mind, then?"

I'm still not fond of the typical skanks he has a tendency to pick up, but if he was seeing someone nice, someone special, I would just be happy for him." It was the truth. Marie had thought about it on more than one occasion.

"And you wouldn't be angry if it was someone you know?"

This was turning very specific. Marie narrowed her eyes. _Was Jubilee trying to let her down easy because Wolverine was already seeing someone?_

"No, I guess not. It depends. I mean, I wouldn't be ecstatic if he was seeing Mystique. Or Kitty. Just... Ugh."

She still couldn't get over that, in spite of it turning into something far better than spending her life in a hands off relationship. It had hurt her so deeply, it would probably always be a little scar of betrayal on her heart.

"Relax, chica! He isn't seeing anyone. Not yet, at least. But you know, he should have a real firecracker."

Jubilee smiled. Marie looked at her friend, comprehension slowly dawning as she studied the girl's dreamy expression.

"You want to date Wolverine?" She asked.

"I want to try to get him to agree to one date for starters. Baby steps, chica."

"He couldn't get a better girl courting him." Marie approved with a big grin.

 **Three years later, Sabretooth's and Rogue's house**

"We're here!" Jubilee exploded out of the car in her characteristic exuberance.

Marie stepped out on the porch, arms crossed and a wry smile on her face. Her best friend was easily recognizable: still in love with all things yellow.

"Omg, chica! You look beautiful! And you have adopted his smirk." Jubes laughed and ran to the other young woman.

Wolverine stepped out of the car at a more sedate pace, looking around to take in the surroundings. It probably appealed to just feral nature, being at the edge of the thick forest a few miles from the nearest town. Marie waved to him and he smiled. emIt was a good look on him./em She thought.

Jubilee tackled her, Marie catching the small woman with ease, hugging her friend. Her strength and balance had increased tremendously since she first started seeing Sabretooth.

The big feral stepped out of the house, body relaxed, a smile lacking the predatory anticipation so often seen, stretching his lips. Marie did not miss the momentary tension in Wolverine's body as his older brother came into view, even as the younger feral forced himself to relax almost instantly. She wasn't surprised. Even if the brothers got along much better now, almost all mutants behaved that way when facing Sabretooth.

"Hi, firecracker." Sabretooth addressed the woman clinging to his mate. "Hey, brother. Don't just stand there, come on up here. I have Molsons in the fridge."

The promise of his favorite beverage kicked the younger feral into gear and he came up the stairs as Marie put Jubilee down.

"You finally made it." Marie said to her former crush and hugged him.

Wolverine grunted in affirmation, still not a man of many words even if he'd lightened up considerably since Jubilee started to drag him out on, in the beginning reluctant, dates. Marie was happy for them both. Jubes had managed to convince the stubborn man that it was a good thing they started out when she was young, so they'd get more years together. Marie almost laughed at the memory of Jubilee reasoning that if they got weird looks now because she was young, she would own it when she was a cougar in her old age with a man looking thirty. Wolverine had spluttered as Jubes had just steamrolled him and changed the subject like that was that.

After the initial objections, the equally stubborn, bubbly, young woman had managed to convince the grumpy feral that it was a good idea, _or maybe he'd just given up?_ , and they had become an official thing.

Marie couldn't be happier, as Victor really wanted to be on, if not good, then at least ok terms with his brother and the big feral seemed to genuinely like Jubilee. She had a family, and what a family!

 **15 years later, Sabretooth and Rogue's house**

"Fox, get back here! You and your brother is going to clean up that mess or so help me!"

Rogue ripped around the corner at top speed, chasing her wayward daughter, the nine year old going for the trees. Rogue could hear Jackal, the girl's twin brother, crashing through the underbrush, not yet agile enough to be stealthy, and really too hurried to try. What Rogue couldn't hear was her husband, but she knew he was up there somewhere in front of them, ready to pounce on the unruly puppies. She could smell him and the kids should be able to do that too, but they weren't thinking. It looked like this would be a double lesson, a valuable one at that. Rogue's lips curled up in a smirk, showing off lengthened fangs.

It reminded her of the beginning, when Sabretooth had taught her how panicking made you all the more easy to catch, especially when you stopped to use your senses. She had been so clueless back then. Their kids would never be spared the importance of being able to fight properly, even now at their young age. Of course they moderated their strength during practice, but both their puppies were already formidable opponents, capable of holding their own quite well.

Oh yes, this turned out to be quiet the opportunity to teach them that running blindly was a very bad idea.

 _Then_ they'd get to clean up the kitchen

 **25 years later**

Rogue curled up close to Sabretooth, staring into the flames of the small campfire. They were out camping for a few days, the forecast had promised nice weather and with the twins old enough to not need a babysitter any more, they finally indulged in a little alone time for mama and papa feral.

"You know, other parents probably go to a hotel or a spa for getting a kid free weekend." She mused out loud and Sabretooth snorted.

Would you like that more than this?"

"No, it's just a little... funny. But I like it better out here. And I really don't care if I'm in a luxury hotel or in a tent, as long as I'm with you."

He hummed in agreement, pulling her with him as he laid down to look at the stars. She really liked it out here, the ever present increase in technology and modernization of the world left her feral senses frazzled at times and she often wondered how Sabretooth dealt with it. He had really seen the days when he could still pass as part of folklore, a time when man and animal roamed the earth to greater extent than machines.

So much time had passed, and more time was to come. Rogue had hardly aged since she met him, her emtalent /emleeching his ability to heal. Sometimes she wondered what the world would be like in fifty years, but then she always stopped herself. That time would come. Better live in the moment.

Some days, she still couldn't believe how lucky she was. When she walked into that bar what seemed like ages ago, she was truly aiming for losing her virginity. Now here she was, stretched out along the muscular body of the man that had time and again proven that he exceeded her dreams. They had two wonderful kids at home. A tear slid down her cheek, and of course he picked up the smell right away.

"What's wrong, darlin'?"

He pulled her up on top of him and kissed the wet trail on her cheek tenderly.

"Nothing. I'm just happy. I have a wonderful family. I have you. Sometimes, I still can't fathom it. I love you so much."

"Better believe it, because you have me for all eternity. And I love _you."_

His hand slid down her sides, the smooth stroke soothing yet still setting her body alight and she leaned in to capture his bottom lip between her teeth. He smirked against her mouth, hands cupping her ass to press her closer and she could feel that he _wanted_ her.

When he tugged lightly at the hem of her shirt, she lifted up to make it easier for him to tug it off. It was better than having him rip yet another of her shirts. She sat back to peer down at him in the moonlight, his pupils blown wide with arousal, fingers trailing his chiseled chest. He was still as beautiful as that first day. And he was _hers_.

Rogue rocked back and forth a few times and he groaned at the friction. She knew he could smell her arousal. It didn't make her any more prepared when he growled low in his throat and flipped them. She squealed excitedly and giggled but surrendered immediately.

Clothes were tugged off rather frantically, but then he took his sweet time. He laved her clothes and her wet center with his slightly rough tongue and Rogue stared up at the sky without really seeing it. Her back arched when he growled and as he slipped two fingers into her, she came almost instantly with a primal keen.

Her pulse was settling, breathing calming down, when he carefully laid on top of her, nipping and kissing her shoulders and neck. When she felt ready, and that did not take much time with all that smooth skin against hers, she wrapped her legs around his hips and he greedily took that offer.

Sabretooth licked at the mark he left on her neck all those years ago and as he slid into her, he growled.

"Mine."

Oh, yes, she was his. She knew that he would mark her again by the end of this coupling, and she wouldn't dream of objecting.

 _He was her's too._


End file.
